Transcript:
Elle Cowley: Hello, and welcome to the first episode of Inside the Beehive, an election podcast for the college student. I’m Elle Cowley.
Vanessa Hudson: And I’m Vanessa Hudson. On today’s episode, we’re talking all about the governor’s race. Gov. Spencer Cox is up for reelection after his first term ends this November. And he has a primary challenger, Rep. Phil Lyman.
Elle Cowley: So, who is Phil Lyman? Has he held public office before?
Vanessa Hudson: Phil Lyman is currently the representative for House District 69. That district includes Emery, Garfield, Grand, Kane, San Juan and Wayne counties. He’s been in the Utah Legislature since 2019.
Elle Cowley: What about before he was a representative?
Vanessa Hudson: In 2014, when Lyman was San Juan County Commissioner, he led an illegal ATV protest through Utah’s Recapture Canyon. He was found guilty of misdemeanor charges of conspiracy and driving on public lands closed to motorized vehicles. In late 2020, Lyman was pardoned by former President Donald Trump, but Lyman already paid his damages and served a ten-day jail sentence by then.
Elle Cowley: What makes Lyman a desirable replacement for Gov. Cox?
Vanessa Hudson: I think people like Phil because he has this online persona where he attacks Cox, comparing him to Democrats, trying to place him with the Biden administration. If you look at his X account, you’ll see several posts where he is demanding answers from Cox. Think mask mandates and “culture war” issues.
Elle Cowley: The most up-to-date polling shows that Cox is still ahead of Lyman in the race for governor-hood, but what are some issues Lyman might focus on if he’s elected?
Vanessa Hudson: Cox is still ahead in the polls, but Lyman beat Cox at the GOP convention in late April. Lyman lists six policy issues on his campaign website: economy, education, elections, immigration, public lands and energy.
Elle Cowley: We’ve talked a lot about Lyman, but let’s focus for a minute on our current governor whos finishing up his term.
Vanessa Hudson: Cox’s viewpoints on issues have certainly shifted during his term, have they not?
Elle Cowley: For sure. Earlier on in his governorship, Cox was a much more center-right politician. During the 2022 legislative session, he actually vetoed a bill banning trans youth from participating in athletics. However, during the 2023 session, Cox quietly signed a law banning trans people from using restrooms that would align with their gender identity.
Vanessa Hudson: It sounds like public opinion on the Governor has shifted during his term, what are some problems the people of Utah have with him that could prevent him from securing a second term?
Elle Cowley: His adoption of “culture war” issues has alienated people on both sides of the political spectrum. And for others leaning further right, Cox simply isn’t radical enough. It’s hard to please everyone.
Vanessa Hudson: We’ve talked a lot about republican candidates this episode, what about the other side? Are any Democrats running for governor?
Elle Cowley: As a matter of fact, there is! Rep. Brian King serves House District 23, which is Salt Lake and Summit County, he’s running for governor for the democratic party, however, the chances of him winning are slim. If you look at Utah’s history, the last democratic governor in the state left office in 1985.
Vanessa Hudson: That’s 40 years ago!
Elle Cowley: Exactly. King will also be moving straight to the general election since he is the only Democrat in the running.
Vanessa Hudson: To wrap it up, lets talk a little more about polls and our predictions for the governor’s race.
Elle Cowley: While Cox was defeated in convention, he still has a healthy lead on his opponent right?
Vanessa Hudson: He does. The latest polls show Cox ahead 62% to 25%. According to a Rutgers study, incumbent governors have an 89% success rate.
Elle Cowley: I guess we’ll just have to wait and see which Republican will face off against Brian King in the general election. This year, the primaries will be June 25th. Thank you for tuning in to Inside the Beehive. For the Daily Utah Chronicle, I’m Elle Cowley
Vanessa Hudson: And I’m Vanessa Hudson. Tune in next time for a discussion on the growing trend of Democrats and Independents registering as Republicans for primaries in Utah. And if you have an episode idea, email us! You can email us at news-at-daily-utah-chronicle-dot-com.
