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Local News Highlights: Daily Briefing

Morning must reads for Thursday, June 29, 2017

Good Thursday morning from Salt Lake City. Today is the 180th day of the year. There are 185 days remaining in 2017. Today is the 161st day of Donald Trump's presidency.

How Tanner Ainge could win the August GOP primary. Jason Chaffetz hired by Fox News. Nobody likes the GOP health care proposal.

The clock:

• 26 days until ballots for the August primary are mailed to voters (7/25/2017)
• 47 days until the 2017 Utah primary election (8/15/2017)
• 131 days until the 2017 election (11/7/2017)
• 207 days until the opening day of the 2018 Utah Legislature (1/22/2018)
• 252 days until the final day of the 2018 Utah Legislature (3/8/2018)
• 495 days until the 2018 midterm elections (11/6/2018)
• 1,224 days until the 2020 presidential election (11/3/2020)

Today's political TL; DR -

• A number of Republicans say political newcomer Tanner Ainge could win the August GOP primary election [Utah Policy].
  
  
• Surprising absolutely nobody, Rep. Jason Chaffetz announces he's been hired by Fox News as a contributor [Utah Policy, Deseret News, Tribune].
  
  
• Another analysis of the GOP health care plan shows about 200,000 Utahns would lose their coverage [Utah Policy].
  
  
• Thousands of Utahns sign a petition urging Sens. Orrin Hatch and Mike Lee to oppose the GOP health care plan [Tribune].
  
  
• It what can only be seen as a shot across the bow of a proposed ballot initiative to legalize medical marijuana, the LDS Church issued a statement calling for more research into using cannabis for medical purposes [Deseret News].
  
  
• Sen. Evan Vickers praises Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke's plan to recommend a reduction in the size of the Bears Ears National Monument [Senate Site].
  
  
• The U.S. Attorney for Utah, John Huber, says he supports legislation to increase punishment for people who re-enter the United States illegally after being deported. He also favors cutting some federal funds to so-called "sanctuary cities" [Tribune].
  
  
• Politico Magazine names Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski as one of America's "most interesting" mayors [Utah Policy].
  
  
• The Utah Transit Authority approves a controversial deal to sell land in Clearfield to a Swiss-owned rail company [Deseret News, Tribune].
  
  
• The LDS Church announces they will be providing paid parental leave for employees. Women will be allowed to wear pants while men can wear colored shirts [Deseret News, Tribune].

National headlines:

• Wanna know why the GOP health care proposal cratered this week? Everybody hates the proposal. Just 12% of Americans, including 27% of Republicans, favor the bill. This is what happens when an unpopular president pushes an unpopular bill [USA Today].
  
  
• Donald Trump's vaunted reputation as a negotiator took a big hit this week as he was unable to get the Senate to pass the Obamacare repeal measure [Associated Press].
  
  
• Even though the effort to pass the GOP health care bill before the July 4 recess crashed and burned, Republicans are trying to secure support for a new version of the bill by the end of the week [Politico].
  
  
• Democrats smell blood over health care and plan to turn up the heat on Republicans during the July 4 recess [USA Today].
  
  
• Military leaders have revised options for dealing with North Korea, and are ready to present those options to President Donald Trump [CNN].
  
  
• The Trump administration's plan for dealing with ISIS looks a heckuva lot like the Obama administration's approach [Washington Post].
  
  
• The White House has launched a daily newsletter featuring news stories they feel are favorable to the Trump administration called "West Wing Reads." Here's yesterday's edition [WhiteHouse.gov].
  
  
• The Trump administration is starting to enforce their travel ban [Huffington Post].
  
  
• Republicans are gleefully pointing to the news that the FBI is investigating bank fraud allegations against Sen. Bernie Sanders' wife [The Hill].
  
  
• Boring but important financial news. All of the big U.S. banks passed the Fed's financial stress test [Wall Street Journal].
  
  
• The iPhone turns 10 years old today [Economist].

On this day in history:

• 1776 - The Virginia state constitution was adopted.
  
  
• 1958 - Brazil won their first World Cup title with a 5-2 victory over host country Sweden in Stockholm on the strength of two goals by 17-year-old Pele.
  
  
• 1972 - The Supreme Court ruled the death penalty could constitute "cruel and unusual punishment."
  
  
• 2007 - The Apple iPhone went on sale.
  
  
• 2009 - Financier Bernard Madoff received a 150-year sentence for his multibillion-dollar fraud.

Today At Utah Policy

It's entirely possible that Tanner Ainge wins the August GOP primary election By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor Several well-connected Republicans are whispering that Tanner Ainge may very well win the August 15th primary in the 3rd Congressional District....

Another analysis predicts 200,000 Utahns would lose their health coverage under GOP health care proposal By Bob Bernick, Contributing Editor A new analysis by a progressive health care think tank says Utah will see just over 200,000 residents lose their health care insurance under both the GOP House and Senate reform plans....

Jackie Biskupski named one of America's 'most interesting' mayor By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor Politico Magazine has profiled Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski as one of their "most interesting" mayors....

Chaffetz hired by Fox News By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor As UtahPolicy.com first reported in April, Fox News Channel has hired Jason Chaffetz, starting July 1....

Weekly survey: Will the medical marijuana ballot initiative be successful? By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor A group has launched an initiative to put legalizing medical marijuana in Utah on the 2018 ballot. Will they be successful? Vote in our weekly survey....

Policy News

Salt Lake Chamber 2017 June interim recap After each General Session, the Legislature meets and discusses relevant items of significance during Interim Sessions....

Wise Words

Honesty
"Honesty is the first chapter of the book of wisdom." Thomas Jefferson

Lighter Side

Democratic Party
"Following losses in two special congressional elections this week, one Democratic staffer reportedly said, "We have 80-year-old leaders and 90-year-old ranking members. This isn't a party, it's a giant assisted living center." Even worse, the reporter then asked about the upcoming G7 summit, and several people yelled "Bingo!" Seth Meyers