The Deseret News contacted 22 of the Utah Republican Party’s county chairs by phone and asked about their preferred candidate in the upcoming election and any other candidates they are considering.

• 15 specifically named Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
• 10 mentioned former President Donald Trump.
• Four mentioned Nikki Haley, the former South Carolina governor and ambassador to the United Nations.
• Several others said they were waiting for more candidates to enter the race before sharing their opinion.

But among those who said they would consider supporting Trump, most said they would rather see another candidate.

‘I would absolutely support a ban on TikTok,’ Gov. Cox says

A federal TikTok ban is gaining traction among U.S. politicians, from state legislatures to the White House.

What did Utah Gov. Spencer Cox say?

• “I agree that there are data privacy issues with all social media companies. But what we know about TikTok and what’s happening in China, and their relationship with the Chinese Communist Party, I would absolutely support a ban on TikTok.”
  
  
• “China’s access to data collected by TikTok presents a threat to our cybersecurity. As a result, we’ve deleted our TikTok account and ordered the same on all state-owned devices. We must protect Utahns and make sure that the people of Utah can trust the state’s security systems.”

Read more about the debate swirling around TikTok and the ties between Utah and China. 

Health:

• Your all-purpose cleaner might be dangerous — here’s what you can use instead (Deseret News)
• Maternal mortality trends are tough to pin down in Utah (Axios)

Arts and Entertainment:

• What big shows are coming up in Utah? Here’s the latest (Deseret News)

Outdoors:

• Utah steps up reputation as a national leader in wildlife crossings (Deseret News)
• Utah's record snowpack: Which basins have collected the most water so far this year? (KSL)

Police and Courts:

• Utah man says he went 'flying' after Gwyneth Paltrow ski crash (KSL)
• The Lauren McCluskey story: A timeline of key events (Deseret News)

Faith:

• How did Joseph Smith influence Herman Melville, author of ‘Moby-Dick’? (Deseret News)
• Which Asian nations have more Church members? (Church News)

Salt Lake County:

• Utah communities begin work on 'historic effort' to improve road safety, curb traffic deaths (KSL)
• A Salt Lake City woman begged officers not to kill her. Their actions may have violated department policy, Tribune finds. (The Salt Lake Tribune 🔒)
• VA employees, nationally and in Utah, are asking Congress for a wage bump (KUER)

Utah County:

• Search and rescue underway for person trapped after avalanche in Utah County (FOX 13)

U.S. and The World:

• At least 3 children and 3 adults killed in Nashville elementary school shooting (CNN)
• Biden’s approval hits near low (Deseret News)
• Amid strained US ties, China finds unlikely friend in Utah (Associated Press)

Sports:

• Is adding San Diego State to the Pac-12 a ‘no-brainer’? (Deseret News)
• 7-foot 'alien' Bandaogo has Utah Valley making history in NIT semifinals (KSL)
• 3 keys to the Utah Jazz’s 117-103 loss to the Phoenix Suns (Deseret News)