Local News Highlights: Daily Briefing

Morning Must Reads for Friday, November 4, 2016

Good Friday morning from Salt Lake City. Today is the 309th day of the year. There are 57 days left in 2016.

Evan McMullin's fortunes in Utah appear to be fading. Americans are disgusted by the current state of politics. The numbers of Americans who have taken advantage of early voting has exploded. 

The clock:

• Four days until the 2016 presidential election - (11/8/2016)
• 45 days until the Electoral College meets to cast their votes for president and vice president (12/19/2016)
• 77 days until Inauguration Day (1/20/2017)
• 80 days until the first day of the 2017 Utah Legislature - (1/23/2017)
• 125 days until the final day of the 2017 Utah Legislature - (3/9/2017)

Ten talking points for Friday:

1. Evan McMullin's chances of winning Utah start to fade as a handful of new polls show him running in third place behind Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton [Utah Policy, Deseret News, Tribune].
   
   
2. House Majority Leader Jim Dunnigan is facing a tough challenge in his re-election bid, and that could cost him his leadership spot [Utah Policy].
   
   
3. House Minority Leader Brian King says the GOP's support for Donald Trump just solidifies that Republicans have become "unmoored" from their traditional values as a party [Utah Policy].
   
   
4. A new poll shows Americans are disgusted by the current state of politics. They also doubt whether either major candidate can break through the political divide following the election [New York Times].
   
   
5. Early voting numbers this year are far ahead of where they were in 2012. About 34 million people have already cast a vote compared with 3.2 million at this same time four years ago [The Hill].
   
   
6. Melania Trump hits the campaign trail and says she would fight bullying if she becomes the first lady. That eyebrow-raising claim led many to wonder if she had ever met her husband [Huffington Post].
   
   
7. The State Department released 1,000 more of Hillary Clinton's emails that the FBI recovered from her private server, but many of them are duplicates of previous emails [Politico].
   
   
8. Sen. John McCain says Republicans in the Senate should fight to keep Hillary Clinton from appointing Supreme Court justices that would make the court tilt to the left [Washington Post].
   
   
9. Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams has a big lead over Republican Dave Robinson [Tribune].
   
   
10. Bad news for Utah's drought conditions. Experts say warm temperatures point to a "dry" winter ahead [Tribune].

On this day in history:

• 1922 - British archaeologist Howard Carter discovered the tomb of Tutankhamen.
• 1924 - Nellie Tayloe Ross of Wyoming is elected the first female governor in the United States.
• 1939 - The United States modified its neutrality stance in World War II to allow "cash and carry" purchases of arms by belligerents, a policy favoring Britain and France.
• 2008 - Democrat Barack Obama was elected the first black president of the United States.
• 2008 - California voters approved Proposition 8, a constitutional amendment outlawing same-sex marriage.

Today At Utah Policy

Dunnigan Facing a Tough Re-Election Bid...or Two By Bob Bernick, Contributing Editor While it is unusual for a sitting member of House or Senate majority party leadership to lose a general election, more than a few Utah Republican lawmakers are worried about the race between House Majority Leader Jim Dunnigan and his Democratic challenger, Paul Schulte....

Bob Bernick's Notebook: 2016 Crystal Ball By Bob Bernick, Contributing Editor So here it goes, my 2016 election predictions, with a little commentary along the way....

'So Very Tired' - Bernick and Schott on Politics: Episode #305 By Bryan Schott and Bob Bernick The Evan McMullin moment in Utah may be over....

Utah Republicans No Longer Stand for Traditional Values By Rep. Brian King, Utah House Minority Leader Utahns of all political persuasions have been alienated by Donald Trump this year. It’s difficult to count the number of ways in which he tramples on traditional Utah values....

Weekly Survey: Make Your Fearless Predictions for the 2016 Election By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor Time to make your fearless predictions on what will happen in the 2016 elections. ...

Podcast: Bernick and Schott on Politics - Episode #305 By Bryan Schott and Bob Bernick Bob Bernick and Bryan Schott break down the "who" and "what" from the week in Utah politics....

Evan McMullin's Utah Surge has Stalled. Second Poll Shows Him in 3rd Place By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor Another poll released on Thursday shows independent candidate Evan McMullin in 3rd place behind Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton....

Trump Leads Clinton by 6, McMullin by 13 in New Utah Poll By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor A new survey from Monmouth University gives Republican Donald Trump a six-point lead over Democrat Hillary Clinton in Utah. Independent candidate Evan McMullin trails Trump by 13-points....

Policy News

Wise Words

Definition
"Conservative, n: A statesman who is enamored of existing evils, as distinguished from the Liberal who wishes to replace them with others." Ambrose Bierce

Lighter Side

Uber Flu
"The ride share company Uber announced a promotion this week called Uber Health where people can use their app toward a free flu shot. So yeah, if you don't mind a high-tech company known for tracking people's movements injecting you with a random substance, this is for you." James Corden