An open seat may mean dozens of candidates; USHE Commissioner resigns suddenly; flash floods in Southern Utah; 1¢ burgers at Wendy's | | | The Utah Policy newsletter is your one-stop source for political and policy-minded news. We scour the news so you don't have to! Send news tips or feedback to Holly Richardson at editor@utahpolicy.com. | | |
Situational Analysis | September 14, 2023 It's Thursday and National Cream Filled Donut Day! What You Need to Know It already feels like "old news," but Senator Mitt Romney announced yesterday that he is not running for re-election. He cited both his age (he would be in his mid-80's at the end of the next term) and the dysfunction in D.C. as reasons to pass the torch to the next generation. He told the Washington Post that he thought a prospective second term would not be as productive as his first. âWeâre probably going to have either Trump or Biden as our next president. And Biden is unable to lead on important matters and Trump is unwilling to lead on important matters.â McKay Coppins spent extensive time with Romney writing a biography that comes out next month. An powerful excerpt on what Romney saw in the Senate and what led to him not running is in The Atlantic. Zero punches were pulled. Don't miss it.
An open Senate seat is a rarity and people are lining up. Speaker Brad Wilson and Mayor Trent Staggs were already in the race (although the Speaker's campaign is "exploratory"). Sean Reyes and Greg Hughes have both said they will not run, but some of the names already being floated include Reps John Curtis and Blake Moore, Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson, Kirk Jowers, Tim Ballard, Jason Chaffetz, Derek Miller, Amy Winder Newton, Jason Perry and Henry Eyring. My personal guess is that we will see two dozen candidates for the seat. Some have already told me they think I'm guessing low. Let the games begin.
The Utah Commissioner of Higher Education resigned suddenly, just before an emergency board meeting. Dave Woolstenhulme has been the commissioner since 2019. He has been replaced by Deputy Commissioner Geoffrey Landward who will serve as interim commissioner pending a nationwide search for Woolstenhulmeâs successor. Rapid Relevance Get a one-cent Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger from Wendy's from Sept. 18-22; Ancestry reveals DNA kit for dogs; flash floods ravage Southern Utah Wednesday evening; and AI joins politics for 2024 presidential race. Can you spot the fake? On the Hill Today 11:00 am: Ethnic Studies Commission 2:00 pm: Criminal Code Evaluation Task Force | | |
| | Construction Underway, Scheduled Operation: 2025 The Intermountain Power Project's transformational âIPP Renewedâ project is under construction and on track for mid-2025 start-up. The project includes new natural gas-fueled electricity generating units that will also utilize "green" hydrogen for long-term, dispatchable storage of renewable energy. There are currently 600 workers on site in Milliard County, with 1200 expected during peak construction. Click here to watch construction unfold. For more information, visit www.ipprenewed.com | | |
Utah Headlines Political news Will Biden face impeachment if we avoid a government shutdown? (Deseret News) Rep. Blake Moore helps launch new bipartisan House caucus focused on federal spending (Deseret News) Celebrating all of Americaâs constitutions. Americans have not had just one constitution; they have had more than 200 constitutions â at the state level (Deseret News) Derek Miller: What if we could solve the labor shortage and immigration reform at the same time? Gov. Spencer Cox has a plan. (Deseret News) Election News Lee, Cox and other Utah leaders react to Romney not seeking a 2nd term (Deseret News) Trump, Ryan, McConnell, others respond to Romneyâs retirement news (Deseret News) Young Republicans, political observers weigh in on Romney decision to not run again (KSL TV) Who will replace Mitt Romney? (Deseret News, ABC4, Fox13) Dozens of Utahns contact GOP, expressing interest for Romney's seat (KUTV) Sen. Mitt Romneyâs new biography reveals details about his time in Senate (Deseret News) Mitt Romney talks about who might replace him â and what comes next (Deseret News) From election wins and losses to Trump showdowns â key moments in Mitt Romneyâs political career (Salt Lake Tribune) Sen. Mitt Romney's retirement announcement sparks national debate on age in politics (KUTV) General Utah news Youth football coach suffers heart attack, bystanders help save his life (KSL TV) YouTube vlogger Carl Andreasen blames association with Franke family for breakdown of marriage (KUTV) Ruby Franke's sister distances herself in new YouTube video after child abuse allegations (KUTV) Former BYU student accuses Hildebrandt of sharing personal details without consent, leading to divorce, expulsion (KUTV) Utah parenting YouTuber Ruby Franke and sisters got thousands in PPP loans, records show (Salt Lake Tribune) Business Inflation signals mixed as gas hikes help drive August jump in consumer prices to 3.7% (Deseret News) Culture Valerie Hudson: Are we in a new age of body mutilation? Our bodies deserve respect, not violence at our own hands (Deseret News) Education Utahâs commissioner for higher education resigns without much explanation after âemergencyâ board meeting (Salt Lake Tribune) Environment Utah considers Bear Lake legislation similar to what Idaho passed earlier this year (Deseret News) Inside Exxon's strategy to downplay climate change (Wall Street Journal) Family Ruby Franke case: Husband Kevin Franke not a âmonster,â his lawyer says (Salt Lake Tribune) Health 7 lifestyle factors that reduce the risk of depression, according to new study (Deseret News) Dragging? This nap could be just what you need to pep you up (Deseret News) 7th grade football player spreads mental health awareness after losing teammate to suicide (KSL TV) Fentanyl mixed with cocaine or meth is driving the '4th wave' of the overdose crisis (NPR) The end of Roe is having a chilling effect on pregnancy. New polling shows that a third of young women say they or someone they know has decided not to get pregnant because of concerns about maternal health care after Dobbs. (Politico) Housing âFading dreamâ: Utahâs housing shortage expected to worsen (Deseret News) Utah housing markets are the least affordable in state history (Salt Lake Tribune) | | |
National Headlines General Lessons from Birmingham: 60 years after the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing (NPR) Politics Biden to address budget cuts, government shutdown in Thursday speech (Reuters) Husband of Alaska Rep. Mary Peltola dies in plane crash (Washington Post) Federal judge again declares that DACA is illegal (NPR) Lauren Boebert kicked out of a âBeetlejuiceâ show in Denver (AP) Lauren Boebert ditches the MAGA thing in Colorado. With her seat in danger, the Coloradan is starting to sound like a completely different person at home. (Politico) Trump has large lead over Haley, other Republicans in South Carolina, poll finds (Washington Post) In private meetings, Manchin grapples with his political future (Washington Post) GOP threats to McCarthy come into sharper focus (The Hill) âYouâre screwed': Romneyâs exit threatens a collapse of Senateâs middle (Politico) Ukraine ðºð¦ Ukraine launches more attacks in Crimea a day after striking naval ships (New York Times) World Whole families drowned in Libyaâs flood. Many didnât realize the danger until they heard dams burst (AP) âCorpses in the ocean, whole families wiped outâ: Survivors and rescue workers shared the horror they saw in Derna. (New York Times) There's a glimmer of hope on Yemen's war front. Yet children are still dying of hunger (NPR) Ban on Muslim dress in schools stokes culture war in France (Wall Street Journal) | | |
| | News Releases Romney releases message to Utahns on Senate reelection plans "I have spent my last 25 years in public service of one kind or another. At the end of another term, Iâd be in my mid-eighties. Frankly, itâs time for a new generation of leaders. Theyâre the ones that need to make the decisions that will shape the world they will be living in." (Read More) Romney, Cotton, colleagues introduce bill to raise minimum wage U.S. Senators Mitt Romney (R-UT), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Susan Collins (R-ME), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), and JD Vance (R-OH) today introduced the Higher Wages for American Workers Act, legislation which would gradually raise the federal minimum wage to $11 and mandate E-Verify to ensure the wage increase only goes to legal workers. The bill would also index future minimum wage increases to inflation and includes a slower phase-in for small businesses. Romney and Cotton first introduced the bill in 2021. Text of the legislation can be found here and a one-pager on the bill can be found here. (Read More) Pandemic years created unmatched volatility in Utahâs housing market The COVID-19 pandemic years created unmatched volatility in Utahâs housing market. The Kem C. Gardner Policy Instituteâs State of the Stateâs Housing Market report provides a detailed analysis of current market conditions in Utah, which shows residential construction activity, existing home sales, housing shortages, and affordability were all impacted in a way not seen since the Great Recession. âIn over 50 years of Utahâs housing history, there are no back-to-back years like 2021 and 2022,â said Jim Wood, Ivory-Boyer Senior Fellow, and lead author of the report. âBuilding permits for residential units increased by 26% in 2021, only to fall by 26% in 2022. These COVID-19 pandemic years now join the Great Recession as one of the most extraordinary moments for Utahâs housing market.â (Read More) Utahâs top citizen diplomats recognized for building economic and cultural bridges Utahâs top citizen diplomats were recognized for their trailblazing work in establishing and strengthening Utahâs international relationships. Utah Global Diplomacyâs Citizen Diplomat Award recognizes individuals who have contributed significantly to building economic and cultural bridges with countries and leaders across the globe. This yearâs honorees include Franz Kolb, Chris and Erlynn Lansing and DeAnna and Lynn DeBry. (Read More) Six central Utah counties collaborate for project area creation The Utah Inland Port Authority (UIPA) Board of Directors unanimously approved the Central Utah Agri-Park Project Area resolution for six central Utah counties, creating Utahâs fifth inland port. The decision was made during UIPAâs board meeting held Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023, in Nephi. This initiative, with the backing of the Six County Association of Governments, is set to benefit Utahâs family farms, strengthen the economy and enhance food security across the state. (Read More) | | |
Upcoming Constitution Day conference with UVU Center for Constitutional Studies â Sept 14-15, UVU campus, More information here Interim Day â Sept. 18, Utah Tech University, le.utah.gov A Bolder Way Forward with the Utah Women and Leadership Project â Sept. 20, 12:00 - 1:15 pm, Virtual, Register here Launching the Dan Jones Center for Public Service â Sept. 27, 6:00-8:00 pm, Hinckley Institute of Politics, RSVP here Understanding Sexism in Utah with the Utah Women and Leadership Projectâ Oct. 10, 12:00-1:15 pm, Register here Civics Educator Conference with "Sharon Says So" â Oct. 10, UVU, More information and registration here Interim Day â Oct 10-11, le.utah.gov Interim Day â Nov 14-15, le.utah.gov General election â Nov. 21 | | |
On This Day In History 1741 - George Frideric Handel finishes his "Messiah" oratorio after working on it non-stop for 23 days. 1812 - The Great Fire of Moscow begins as Napoleon approaches the city and retreating Russians burn it - the fire continues to burn for five days 1814 - Francis Scott Key writes the words to A Star Spangled Banner 1830 - Emily Edson Briggs is born. She became the first woman White House correspondent during Lincolnâs administration and the first president of the Womenâs National Press Association (1882). 1901 - President William McKinley dies of infection from gunshot wounds 1901 - Theodore Roosevelt is sworn in as the youngest man to serve as US President, at age 42. 1921 - Constance Baker Motley is born. She became the first Black woman appointed federal judge in 1966. 1964 - Helen Keller receives the Presidential Medal of Freedom along with 4 other women: Dr. Lena Edwards, Lynn Fontainne, Dr. Helen Taussig, and Leontyne Price 1982 - Hollywood star and real-life princess Grace Kelly dies of injuries sustained in a car accident 1983 - US House of Representatives votes, 416 to 0, in favor of a resolution condemning Russia for shooting down a Korean jetliner Quote of the Day âIt is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.â
â Theodore Roosevelt On the Punny Side Which celebrity is always ready for cereal? Reese. With her spoon. | | |
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