A Utah school board member who questioned a student’s gender identity will lose the party’s nomination for re-election

SALT LAKE CITY — A conservative member of the Utah State Board of Education who faced calls to resign after lawmakers said he bullied a student on social media lost his re-election bid Saturday.

Natalie Cline needed at least 40% of the delegate vote at the Salt Lake County Republican Convention, but she fell short of that mark Saturday. He faced Jordan School District Superintendent Amanda Bollinger, who received enough support to become the party’s nominee in the school board race.

Unlike Bollinger, Cline did not collect voter signatures — a backdoor to appear on Utah’s primary ballot in June if a candidate does not win his or her party’s nomination. The deadline for collecting signatures has passed.

Cline faced backlash from Republicans and Democrats after her social media post questioning the sexuality of a high school basketball player led to threats against the girl. Utah Republican Governor Spencer Cox said Cline’s actions embarrassed the state, and the Legislature impeached him but allowed him to remain in office without any real powers.

Cline announced in late February that he would run for re-election.

In a Facebook post before Saturday’s vote, Cline said he has been “calling day and night for the past 3+ years and I have answered the endless cries for help from parents and teachers who are sick to their stomachs at what they are seeing first. come into their schools! “

He said he has done “all in my power and more with God as my helper and a growing army of caring citizens who say enough is enough!”

A message seeking comment was sent to Cline via social media.