Utah Gov. Spencer Cox (R) fended off a primary challenger from his right-wing Decision Desk HQ projects, defeating the state party-backed candidate.
Popular incumbent Cox defeated Phil Lyman, who won the official endorsement of the Utah Republican Party earlier this year, while some party members criticized Cox as too moderate. Cox was booed at the state convention for the party, which political observers say chose its candidates largely based on their support for former President Trump.
Lyman waspardoned by Trumpin 2020 after being convicted of a misdemeanor for leading an ATV protest on closed public land, and said he has supported the former president “unapologetically” since 2016.
Cox said he has not voted for a major party presidential candidate since 2012 and said both parties are making a “huge mistake” by nominating President Biden and former President Trump, respectively.
Under Utah’s convention-caucus system, losing the party nomination could have kept Cox off the ballot — but he gathered enough signatures to compete in Tuesday’s race even without his party’s endorsement.
Despite his disdain for the party, Cox, who likesstrong approval ratingsof his state, had a significantvotingadvantage for Tuesday’s contest.
This is not the first time that the state party has voted against a candidate who won the race. In 2016, the convention alsodenied the nominationto Cox’s former boss, then governor. Gary Herbert, although Herbert easily won the primary and general election.
Cox will now face Democrat Brian King, a state lawmaker, in the fall.
This story originally appeared on thehill.com read the full story
