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Situational awareness - July 11, 2018

Good Wednesday morning from Salt Lake City.

Utah a top state for business. Trump says Germany is a "captive of Russia." Democrats go on the attack against Trump's Supreme Court pick.

TICK TOCK

118 days until the 2018 midterm elections (11/6/2018)
201 days until the first day of the 2019 Utah Legislature (1/28/2019)
846 days until the 2020 presidential election (11/3/2020)

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HERE ARE THE STORIES YOU SHOULD PAY ATTENTION TO TODAY

Election results

Utah's primary election results are final. No big changes since the early July vote as all of the frontrunners held on to their leads [Daily Herald, Tribune].

Utah is again a top business state

CNBC ranks Utah as the #3 state for business. Utah was ranked #8 last year and held the top spot in 2016 - http://bit.ly/2m5VNMF

Romney's election oddities

If, as expected, Mitt Romney wins the U.S. Senate race in November, he would be the "junior" senator to Sen. Mike Lee even though he's 24 years older - http://bit.ly/2N7HYcj

OTHER UTAH HEADLINES

Sen. Orrin Hatch is decrying Democratic opposition to President Trump's Supreme Court nominee, even though he has often led the opposition against Justices nominated by Democrats [Tribune].
Members of the Utah Gun Exchange is following the Parkland school shooting survivors around the country to hold pro-gun counter rallies [Tribune].
A visiting Chinese diplomat tells Utah officials a trade war would leave lasting damage on both the U.S. and China [Deseret News].
Salt Lake County Council members are worried the planned revamp of the UTA board would not bring needed reforms to the organization [Tribune].

NATIONAL HEADLINES

President Trump accused Germany of being a "captive of Russia" because it purchases energy from Moscow during a meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg - https://cnn.it/2N5wlCp
The leader of the European Council warned President Trump about his repeated attacks on European allies saying "Appreciate your allies. After all, you don't have that many" - https://nyti.ms/2N63aiI
Senate Democrats come out swinging against Brett Kavanaugh, President Trump's pick for the Supreme Court - https://nyti.ms/2N61Jkk
Some migrant children are reunited with their families following a court order. Meanwhile, the Trump administration announces they will release hundreds of migrant families wearing ankle bracelet monitors, returning to the "catch and release" policy President Trump has been critical of - https://nyti.ms/2N64br2
President Trump threatens another $200 billion in tariffs on Chinese goods in the escalating trade war between the two countries - https://politi.co/2N6H1AZ
The Chinese government unveiled a plan to shield companies from tariffs imposed by the U.S., pledging to funnel money collected from tariffs on American goods to companies and workers - https://wapo.st/2N2JufB
The Trump administration slashes grants to groups that help Americans sign up for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act - https://wapo.st/2N6ffEp
Pfizer announces it will temporarily roll back prescription drug prices after after meeting with President Trump - https://politi.co/2N7pRD8
The U.S. Senate is sitting on nearly 600 bills passed by the House over the past 18 months - http://bit.ly/2N7qtZA
The GOP is moving closer to naming Charlotte as the host of their 2020 nominating convention - https://on.wsj.com/2N8p5Wt
A record number of Americans are quitting their jobs to seek better employment opportunities as a result of the red-hot economy - https://bloom.bg/2N5yr5f

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

1796 - The U.S. takes possession of Detroit from Great Britain under terms of the Jay Treaty.
1798 - The U.S. Marine Corps is re-established. They had been disbanded after the American Revolutionary War.
1804 - A duel occurs in which Vice President Aaron Burr mortally wounds former Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton.
1864 - American Civil War: Battle of Fort Stevens: Confederate forces attempt to invade Washington, D.C.
1921 - Former President Willam Howard Taft is sworn in as 10th Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, becoming the only person ever to hold both offices.
1922 - The Hollywood Bowl opens.
1960 - To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is first published.
1979 - The Skylab space station is destroyed as it re-enters the Earth's atmosphere over the Indian Ocean.

Today At Utah Policy

CNBC ranks Utah as the 3rd-best state for business
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
CNBC's annual rankings of the best states for business is out, and Utah comes in at #3 on the list behind Washington and Texas....

Romney would become Utah's senior 'junior' senator if he wins in November
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
If Mitt Romney wins November's election, he would become the "junior" senator to Sen. Mike Lee, even though he's 24 years older than Lee....

Weekly survey: Will Brett Kavanaugh be confirmed to the Supreme Court?
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
President Trump nominated Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. Will Republicans be able to confirm him before the 2018 election, or will Democrats be able to block his confirmation? Vote now in our weekly survey....

Policy News

UCAIR opens 2018 grants call for proposals
To continue progress toward improving our air quality, the Utah Clean Air Partnership opens its annual grants program....