{"id":2330802,"date":"2024-08-26T05:12:02","date_gmt":"2024-08-26T09:12:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/three-hurdles-utah-governors-democratic-challenger-will-need-to-overcome-to-pose-a-threat-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2024-08-26T05:16:53","modified_gmt":"2024-08-26T09:16:53","slug":"three-hurdles-utah-governors-democratic-challenger-will-need-to-overcome-to-pose-a-threat-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/three-hurdles-utah-governors-democratic-challenger-will-need-to-overcome-to-pose-a-threat-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"Three hurdles Utah governor\u2019s Democratic challenger will need to overcome to pose a threat &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">34<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fthree-hurdles-utah-governors-democratic-challenger-will-need-to-overcome-to-pose-a-threat-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2330802&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Voting \u2062bloc \u2062is complex and does not uniformly align \u200dwith Democratic\u2064 candidates. Although many Latter-day Saints support \u200b<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/manchin-and-daughter-pitching-donors-on-a-centrist-political-group-report\/\" title=\"Manchin and daughter seek support for centrist political group: Report\">centrist policies<\/a>, they often prioritize family values and\u2063 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/pinkerton-5-takeaways-from-glenn-youngkins-victory-in-virginia\/\" title=\"Pinkerton: 5 Takeaways from Glenn Youngkin\u2019s Victory\u00a0in Virginia\">conservative social issues<\/a>, which could \u2063pose challenges for King, especially given his firm stance \u200don abortion rights. <\/p>\n<p>King&#8217;s strategy \u200cto appeal \u2063to voters based on his faith\u200c might resonate with some, but he risks \u2064alienating those who may\u200b view the Democratic Party&#8217;s platform \u200cas inconsistent with their beliefs.\u2064 This demographic has historically \u2064leaned Republican, and while some might \u2063appreciate his approach, it may not be enough to shift \u2063their voting habits dramatically.<\/p>\n<p>Moreover, the political landscape in Utah \u200cis <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/7-of-the-most-cringeworthy-religious-mishaps-from-leading-leftists\/\" title=\"7 Of The Most Cringeworthy Religious Mishaps From Leading Leftists\">heavily influenced<\/a> \u200dby factors \u2063such as the economy, education, and governance. Voters often prioritize practical considerations over party affiliation, and King&#8217;s \u2064ability to\u200b convince the electorate that he can provide effective leadership could be \u200cpivotal. His rhetoric emphasizes collaboration and bipartisan solutions, which could \u2063attract\u2063 moderate Republicans and independents if he\u2064 manages to maintain a balance between his Democratic\u2062 values and the prevailing sentiments of Utah voters.<\/p>\n<p>Ultimately, \u200bBrian King&#8217;s campaign hinges on navigating\u2063 the intricate dynamics of Utah&#8217;s \u200dpolitical scene, appealing to a diverse\u2064 voter base, and presenting \u2064himself as a viable alternative to Gov. Spencer Cox. His \u2063success will likely\u2062 depend on his ability to unify various factions of the electorate\u2014disenfranchised Republicans, independents, and moderate Democrats\u2014against \u200ca backdrop of a solidly Republican state. The question of whether\u200b King can overcome these hurdles \u200bwill be a crucial element of\u2063 the upcoming election as he strives to position himself as a \u200bcredible \u200cchallenger in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/chris-christie-goes-after-current-new-jersey-governor-for-jetting-off-to-italy-for-vacation-with-family\/\" title=\"Chris Christie Goes After Current New Jersey Governor For Jetting Off To Italy For Vacation With Family\">upcoming gubernatorial race<\/a>.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Three hurdles Utah governor&rsquo;s Democratic challenger will need to overcome to pose a threat<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1409567\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>Rep. Brian King (D-UT) is looking to overcome critical <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/2024-election\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>challenges<\/a> in his battle to unseat Gov. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/governor\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Spencer Cox<\/a> (R-UT) this November.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/utah\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Utah<\/a> is a red state where Republican voters outnumber Democrats by over a 3-to-1 margin. The last time a Democratic presidential candidate won the state was in 1964, when Lyndon Johnson secured a landslide victory over Barry Goldwater. Utah&rsquo;s last Democratic governor was Scott Milne Matheson Jr., who served until 1985.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>During a recent interview with the <em>Deseret News<\/em>, King, who has served as a Democratic lawmaker in the state since 2010, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.deseret.com\/utah\/2024\/08\/06\/brian-king-for-utah-governor-stance-on-abortion\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>said<\/a> he sees cracks in the Republican coalition that could galvanize a surprise victory over Cox this November.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">King poses for a portrait at the Utah State Capitol in Salt Lake City in 2020. (AP Photo\/Rick Bowmer)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&ldquo;How do you win the election? Well, one of the ways is we appeal to folks who are disillusioned and disenchanted with today&rsquo;s Republican Party,&rdquo; King said.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-large-font-size\">Overcoming Republican majorities<\/h2>\n<p>King thinks he has a shot at drawing a large number of independent voters in the state into his camp. There are&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/utahnewsdispatch.com\/2024\/08\/17\/utahns-changing-party-affiliation-switched-to-unaffiliated\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>482,145<\/a> registered unaffiliated voters in Utah, double the number of 232,466 registered Democrats.<\/p>\n<p>However, the number of unaffiliated voters, though significant, has been trending down in the state in recent years. The voting bloc <a href=\"https:\/\/www.deseret.com\/utah\/2020\/1\/12\/21055079\/super-tuesday-unaffiliated-voters-presidential-primary-trump-biden-sanders\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>made<\/a> up 509,374 registered voters in Utah in 2020, signaling that the move toward political independence, though solid, might not be as vibrant as King needs to make up for Utah&rsquo;s solid Republican majority.<\/p>\n<p>King is also working to win over disgruntled Republicans who supported former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley over former President Donald Trump during the state&rsquo;s presidential primary. After she lost the primary election to Trump, King&rsquo;s campaign <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kingforutah.com\/post\/rep-brian-king-invites-haley-voters-to-join-his-campaign-you-are-not-alone-in-feeling-like-your-p\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>told<\/a> Haley voters, &rdquo;Consider this a formal invitation to join us in this movement. You will be welcomed with open arms.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Intraparty turmoil among Republicans in the state has given King another golden opportunity to speak to voters tired of partisan bickering among their own.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The Utah GOP has been embroiled in multiple conflicts this year. Colby Jenkins mounted a challenge to Rep. Celeste Maloy (R-UT) and shocked the establishment by coming within inches of toppling the incumbent Republican. A recount and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/3116144\/utah-gop-primary-results-up-air-state-supreme-court-agrees-hear-challenge\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>lawsuit<\/a> to the state&rsquo;s highest court ended in a razor-thin loss for Jenkins. He was 176 votes short of winning his primary, and Jenkins&rsquo;s concerns over <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/breaking-attorney-phil-kline-and-it-expert-j-r-carlson-presser-wednesday-exposing-mark-zuckerbergs-dark-money-cash-for-chaos\/\" title=\"BREAKING: Attorney Phil Kline and IT Expert J.R. Carlson Presser Wednesday Exposing Mark Zuckerberg\u2019s Dark Money Cash for Chaos\">state election laws<\/a> that allowed over a thousand ballots to be disqualified from being counted led him to declare the Utah Supreme Court&rsquo;s ruling &ldquo;undermines fundamental voting rights and sets a troubling precedent for future elections.&rdquo;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, a gubernatorial challenge against Cox from a Republican colleague has set off shock waves within the state&rsquo;s GOP. Rep. Phil Lyman (R-UT) won over 60% of delegate support during the GOP&rsquo;s state nominating convention earlier this year. While Cox became his party&rsquo;s gubernatorial nominee by winning the state&rsquo;s primary, Lyman <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/state\/3109806\/republican-lawmaker-contests-utahs-election-process-fight-upend-governor\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>alleged<\/a> party rules garnered him the win and launched a lawsuit against Cox in the Utah Supreme Court. Since losing his battle in court, the representative has gone to make a bid against Cox that is unaffiliated with the GOP and has been condemned by party leaders.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Lyman, a candidate for governor, addresses nearly 4,000 delegates at the Utah Republican Party Convention on Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo\/Hannah Schoenbaum)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>King has been strategic in building bridges with the Lyman camp, taking help wherever he can get it to win in a Republican-dominated state.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve never talked less about political party than I have in this election,&rdquo; King said after Lyman suggested Republicans would be better off voting for the Democrat than supporting another Cox term. &ldquo;We are building a coalition of pragmatists in this campaign.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The two even<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/state\/3124146\/utah-republican-allies-with-democrat-to-defeat-cox\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title> teamed up<\/a> last week in a joint campaign ad to tell voters there is one thing they agree on: &ldquo;Spencer Cox should not be our next governor,&rdquo; the pair said in unison.<\/p>\n<p>The partnership ruffled feathers in the state&rsquo;s establishment GOP, which warned, &ldquo;We condemn Phil Lyman&rsquo;s endorsement and promotion of Brian King, which will only benefit Democrat candidates whose extreme policies are out of step with Utahns.&rdquo;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">While <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/phil_lyman?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@phil_lyman<\/a> and I disagree on just about everything, there&rsquo;s one thing we agree on: <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/SpencerJCox?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@SpencerJCox<\/a> should not be our next Governor. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/P3PMYPWkn9\">pic.twitter.com\/P3PMYPWkn9<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Brian S. King (@KingForUtah) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/KingForUtah\/status\/1824100259976581383?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">August 15, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script> <\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>&ldquo;Not-so-clever clickbait videos attempting to divide Republicans against each other only serve to remind us what is at stake,&rdquo; Utah GOP Chairman Rob Axson continued in a post to X. &ldquo;Utahns must not fall for it.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Although King has seized on the GOP bickering,&nbsp;it is unlikely to fuel the momentum he needs to blow over Cox, who enjoys high favorability ratings among Utahns. The incumbent governor won the election by nearly 33 percentage points in 2020. Cox now enjoys the trappings of power that he can use to his advantage. He has had four years to build rapport with voters and donor support, while his high-profile status as governor gives him automatic access to the press.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Even King admitted he faces a &ldquo;David versus Goliath kind of a situation.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-large-font-size\">Matching centrist rhetoric with centrist policies<\/h2>\n<p>Moreover, King has indicated he is not willing to compromise on leftist positions many Utah conservatives might find distasteful, even if they are dissatisfied with the status quo of Republican politics.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>King&rsquo;s rhetoric is centrist. &ldquo;Political balance is incredibly important,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;If you have one party controlling both the executive and the legislative branches for 40 years &hellip; you&rsquo;re going to not have the best results in terms of policies and priorities and a vision that takes into account all the perspectives and all the diversity of the state of Utah.&rdquo; <\/p>\n<p>His talking points are important in a state that prides itself on centrist politics. <\/p>\n<p>Although Utah is firmly within the GOP&rsquo;s grasp, top Republicans in the state are centrist-leaning. Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) has remained fiercely critical of former President Donald Trump, the most high-profile Republican in the nation. Meanwhile, Cox has maintained a bipartisan rhetoric and, as chairman of the National Governors Association, launched a &ldquo;Disagree Better&rdquo; campaign aimed at reducing polarization in politics. Cox also declined to endorse Trump&rsquo;s bid for reelection until late July.<\/p>\n<p>But though King&rsquo;s words convey the bipartisan mood Utahns might support, his policy positions could push his chances of booting Cox out of office further out of reach. The Democrat supports a legal right to abortion up to the point of viability, or around 24 weeks, when the baby is able to survive outside the womb.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Cox speaks during an interview at the Utah State Capitol on Friday, March 4, 2022, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo\/Rick Bowmer)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Recent surveys indicate a majority or near majority of Utahns hold a more centrist position on the matter.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Nearly half of Utahns <a href=\"https:\/\/www.deseret.com\/utah\/2022\/6\/3\/23152398\/poll-utahns-say-abortion-only-legal-rape-incest-mothers-health\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>said<\/a> abortion should only be legal in cases of rape, incest, and threats to mothers&rsquo; health in 2022. Over 50% of Utah registered voters <a href=\"https:\/\/www.deseret.com\/utah\/2023\/6\/15\/23751183\/poll-results-approval-abortion-restrictions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>favored<\/a> a ban on elective abortions and endorsed allowing them only under limited circumstances in another survey.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>King&rsquo;s unwillingness to shift to the center on issues such as abortion could cost him votes in a state that bleeds red.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-large-font-size\">Reaching the Mormon voting bloc<\/h2>\n<p>King has made his Mormon faith a pillar of his campaign for governor, a strategic move in a state that holds the highest concentration of Latter-day Saints in the country.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;m a Democrat because of my faith, not despite it,&rdquo; a <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/KingForUtah\/status\/1783536425750917596\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>post<\/a> pinned to the top of his X platform states.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">I&rsquo;m a Democrat because of my faith, not despite it. Now, we may disagree at times, but the fundamentals of common sense, good government, freedom, and democracy, we share. <\/p>\n<p>I&rsquo;m asking you to join me&mdash;for the better.<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/KingForUtah?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#KingForUtah<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/ForTheBetter?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#ForTheBetter<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/0sN0dndqWa\">pic.twitter.com\/0sN0dndqWa<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Brian S. King (@KingForUtah) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/KingForUtah\/status\/1783536425750917596?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 25, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script> <\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>However, the Mormon church appears to be on the decline in the state. In 2020, over 60% of Utahns subscribed to the Latter-day Saints community. Three years later, that number <a href=\"https:\/\/www.abc4.com\/news\/wasatch-front\/utah-is-no-longer-majority-mormon-new-research-says\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>dropped<\/a> to 42%.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, Mormons heavily lean Republican. Seventy-seven percent described themselves as part of the GOP, according to a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pewresearch.org\/religious-landscape-study\/database\/compare\/party-affiliation\/by\/religious-denomination\/among\/state\/utah\/religious-tradition\/mormon\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>survey<\/a> from the Pew Research Center.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Nationwide, support in the Latter-day Saints community for top Democrats appears to be dropping. A recent <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/presidential\/3071273\/biden-bleeding-support-key-religious-groups-swing-states-report\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>poll<\/a> showed that in 2023, 1 in 5 Mormons approved of President Joe Biden, down from nearly a third of support in 2021.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The Democratic representative is headed to a debate with Cox on Sept. 11.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> reached out to the King and Cox campaigns for comment.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1409567\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1409567\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Three obstacles that Utah governor&#8217;s Democratic challenger must navigate: Rep. Brian King (D-UT) is facing significant challenges in his attempt to unseat Gov. Spencer Cox (R-UT) this November. Utah is a predominantly Republican state, with GOP voters outnumbering Democrats by more than three to one. The last time a Democratic presidential candidate won the state was in 1964, when Lyndon Johnson achieved a decisive victory over Barry Goldwater. The last Democratic governor of Utah was Scott Milne Matheson Jr., who held office until 1985.<\/p>\n<p>In a recent interview with the Deseret News, King, who has been a Democratic lawmaker since 2010, expressed optimism about potential fractures within the Republican coalition that could lead to an unexpected win against Cox this November. &#8220;How do you win the election? One way is by appealing to those who are disillusioned and dissatisfied with today\u2019s Republican Party,&#8221; he stated.<\/p>\n<p>King believes he can attract many independent voters in Utah, where there are currently 482,145 registered unaffiliated voters\u2014double the number of registered Democrats at 232,466. However, while this group is substantial, its numbers have been declining recently; it stood at 509,374 in 2020. This trend suggests that although political independence remains strong in Utah, it may not be enough for King to counterbalance the state&#8217;s solid Republican majority.<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, King aims to win over Republicans who supported former U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley over Donald Trump during the state&#8217;s presidential primary. After Haley&#8217;s defeat in that primary election to Trump, King&#8217;s campaign reached out to her supporters with an invitation: &#8220;Consider this a formal invitation to join us in this movement; you will be welcomed with open arms.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The internal strife among Republicans has also provided King an opportunity to connect with voters frustrated by partisan conflicts within their own party. The Utah GOP has faced several disputes this year; for instance, Colby Jenkins nearly defeated incumbent Rep. Celeste Maloy (R-UT), leading him to challenge state election laws after losing by just 176 votes due to disqualified ballots.<\/p>\n<p>Moreover, Rep. Phil Lyman (R-UT) launched his own gubernatorial challenge against Cox after gaining significant delegate support at the GOP nominating convention but later lost his court battle regarding party rules governing nominations and subsequently ran as an independent candidate\u2014a move criticized by party leaders.<\/p>\n<p>King has strategically aligned himself with Lyman&#8217;s camp and emphasized building coalitions beyond traditional party lines: &#8220;I\u2019ve never talked less about political parties than I have during this election.&#8221; He even collaborated on a campaign ad stating their shared belief that &#8220;Spencer Cox should not be our next governor,&#8221; which drew ire from establishment Republicans warning against such alliances benefiting Democrats whose policies they view as extreme.<\/p>\n<p>Despite capitalizing on GOP discord and presenting himself as a centrist alternative\u2014an approach likely appealing given Utah\u2019s centrist political leanings\u2014King faces formidable challenges ahead of him due largely to Cox\u2019s popularity and established rapport among voters after winning his previous election by nearly 33 percentage points.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, while King&#8217;s rhetoric emphasizes political balance and inclusivity\u2014arguing for diverse representation across policy priorities\u2014his firm stance on issues like abortion may alienate some conservative constituents; he supports legal access up until viability around week twenty-four despite surveys indicating many Utahns favor stricter limitations on abortion rights.<\/p>\n<p>Lastly\u2014and crucially\u2014King seeks support from Mormon voters amid declining affiliation rates within that community; although historically leaning towards Republicans\u2014with approximately seventy-seven percent identifying as such\u2014their diminishing numbers present another hurdle for King&#8217;s campaign strategy focused heavily on faith-based outreach amidst shifting demographics statewide<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3142,"featured_media":2330803,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/King.-.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[37411,5894,5764],"class_list":["post-2330802","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner","tag-governor-race","tag-politics","tag-utah"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/King.-.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2330802","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3142"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2330802"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2330802\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2330803"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2330802"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2330802"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2330802"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}