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Situational awareness - June 4, 2018

Good Monday morning from Salt Lake City. Summer has arrived.

UtahPolicy poll shows John Curtis thumping Chris Herrod in 3^rd District race. LaVarr Webb looks at Mitt Romney's vulnerabilities and opportunities. Senate Republicans become more hopeful about holding on to the Senate.

Tick Tock

1 day until primary election mail-in ballots are sent to voters (6/5/2018)
8 days until in-person early primary voting begins (6/12/2018)
15 days until the final day to register to vote online or in person before the primary election (6/19/2018)
18 days until in-person early primary voting ends (6/22/2018)
22 days until the 2018 Primary Election (6/26/2018)
155 days until the 2018 midterm elections (11/6/2018)
238 days until the first day of the 2019 Utah Legislature (1/28/2019)
883 days until the 2020 presidential election (11/3/2020)

Here Are The Stories We're Watching Today

Latest UtahPolicy/Dan Jones poll shows Rep. Curtis cruising past Chris Herrod in 3^rd Congressional District primary race [UtahPolicy].

LaVarr Webb writes that Mitt Romney has a fine line to walk between Trump haters and Trump lovers, and national media will try to make him a never-Trumper [UtahPolicy].

Groups pushing or fighting various citizens initiatives agree that ballot laws need reform [Tribune (paywall)].

Other Utah Headlines

Pignanelli & Webb look at the four ballot proposals [Deseret News].
Some 100,000 people turn out for Utah Pride Festival on Sunday [Deseret News] [Tribune].
Utah pushes reform to parole, probation [AP via Deseret News].

National Headlines

Senate Republicans are hopeful about the midterms, for good reason [New York Times].
Trump-Kim summit defies diplomatic playbook [Politico].
Orange County, California, emerges as midterm battleground as the GOP fights to hold its House majority. Tuesday'sprimary election could help vulnerable Republicans [Wall Street Journal].
House Republicans have doubled the number of female candidates they have recruited to run for congressional seats this year, going from 48 in the previous election cycle to 103 this year [The Hill].
Canada is "overreacting" to U.S. tariffs, says Trump advisor Larry Kudlow [Washington Post].

On This Day In History

1896 Henry Ford test-drives his "Quadricycle", the first automobile he designed or drove.
1919 Congress passes the 19^th Amendment, guaranteeing women the right to vote.
1942 Battle of Midway begins, one of the most decisive U.S. victories against Japan in WWII.
1989 The Tiananmen Square massacre takes place in Beijing, China. Chinese troops kill and arrest thousands of pro-democracy protestors.

Today At Utah Policy

Curtis walloping Herrod by 47 points in 3rd District GOP primary race
By Bob Bernick, Contributing Editor
Third Congressional District GOP Rep. John Curtis is clobbering former state Rep. Chris Herrod in their primary election showdown, according to a new UtahPolicy.com conducted by Dan Jones & Associates.This is the second Republican primary matchup in 10 mon...

Mitt Romney's vulnerabilities and opportunities
By LaVarr Webb, Publisher
Mitt Romney is, no doubt, going to be Utah's next U.S. senator, replacing Sen. Orrin Hatch, who has served for 200 years (or so).Romney has only two vulnerabilities his reputation as a flip-flopper, and his relationship with Pres. Trump. Neither will be enough to defeat him...

Nominees announced for 2nd District Juvenile Court
By Staff
The 2nd District Judicial Nominating Commission has selected nominees for a vacancy on the 2nd District Juvenile Court. The vacancy results from the retirement of Judge Janice Frost, July 1, 2018. The 2nd Judicial District includes Davis, Morgan, and Weber countie...

Garbett calls on Rep. Stewart to oppose Mortensen nomination
By Staff
Jan Garbett, the United Utah Party candidate for Congress in Utah's Second Congressional District, has announced her opposition to the nomination of Ronald Mortensen as assistant secretary in charge of the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration and urged Representative...

So what does a think tank have to do with your life?
By Rick Larsen, President of the Utah-based Sutherland Institute
Since joining the Sutherland Institute, I am often asked: what exactly is a think tank? A fair question. But more important, perhaps, is this: Are think tanks of benefit to you? Can they assist you in deciding what you think?The Economist explains a think tank...

Why Doug Wright was so good -- and advice to his successors
By LaVarr Webb, Publisher
Over 40 years, Doug Wright carved out a remarkable niche as a radio broadcaster, focusing on politics more than anything else. He became known to almost all Utahns and will certainly be missed by his large radio audience.But he will also be greatly missed by the more insular...

No end to the fight over Count My Vote
By Bob Bernick, Contributing Editor
There's one main reason I'm disappointed that the Count My Vote citizen initiative petition, at least for now, is not going to be on the November ballot for voters to decide:I'm sick and tired of writing about this!Give me a break, people!For five long years I've been writin...

Press release: Utah announces lawsuit against Purdue Pharma
By Press Release
At a press conference Thursday, Atty. Gen. Sean Reyes announced that the State of Utah filed a lawsuit against Purdue Pharma for violating state law, including the Utah Consumer Sales Practices Act (CSPA), involving the company's prescription opioids, including OxyConti...

Register Now: Golden Spoke rides & event
By News Release
The Wasatch Front Regional Council (WFRC), in partnership with numerous organizations, invites Utahns to celebrate the completion of the Golden Spoke network on Saturday, June 2. The Golden Spoke consists of over 100 miles of safe, separated, and connected multi-use tra...

Press release: Hatch says tariffs will have 'damaging consequences
By Super User
Washington, DC- Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT), the President Pro Tempore of the United States Senate and Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following statement after the Trump administration announced new tariffs on imports o...

Press release: Increases in wages reach record level in May
By Press Release
Record high levels of small business owners are reporting increased employee compensation and hiring numbers continue to grow, according to NFIB's monthly Jobs Report, released Thursday. A seasonally adjusted net 35 percent of small business owners reported in...

Poll shows Utahns are divided by LDS Church opposition to medical marijuana ballot initiative
By Bob Bernick, Contributing Editor
Utahns are split over whether an LDS Church legal analysis criticizing the medical marijuana initiative leads them more to support the initiative, or turns them away from it, a new UtahPolicy.com poll shows. ...

Did you know I'm a doctor? - Bernick and Schott on politics Ep. 376
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
Count My Vote fails to make the November ballot, but voters will decide the fate of medical marijuana, redistricting and Medicaid expansion....

Former Kennedy campaign staffer says he was harassed online after quitting
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
A former staffer for Republican Mike Kennedy's campaign says he was subjected to online harassment after he left to take another job in California....

Policy News

Casual Friday: Weekend Events & Outdoors Report
Weekend EventsOutdoors Report--Salt Lake Tribune:Going camping in southwest Utah this weekend? Read this before starting a fire.--Salt Lake Tribune: 'It's just going to be loved to death': Summer season starts at Utah's national parks with large crowds, limited parking - and...