SALT LAKE CITY – Utah Gov. Spencer Cox is expected to debate his primary opponent in a head-to-head duel Tuesday over recovering from his defeat for the nomination at the state GOP convention, where he was booed by delegates who argued that the incumbent is too moderate to continue representing the state.
Despite failing to win his party’s approval, Cox is considered the overwhelming favorite among Republican voters across the state. The convention often favors far-right candidates and expected endorsed candidate Phil Lyman, a former county commissioner turned state legislator.
Cox had already qualified for the June 25 primary before the April convention by collecting signatures. He is now looking to deliver his message to voters seamlessly after going off script to address the harsh reception from Republican delegates.
The winner of the Republican primary will face Democratic candidate Brian King, a state representative, in November. This GOP candidate is heavily favored to win in a deeply red state that hasn’t had a Democrat in the governor’s office since 1985.
Tuesday marks the middle of a marathon week of Republican primary debates in the Beehive State. Candidates for the position of state attorney general are also expected to meet for debate earlier in the day.
Challengers for two of Utah’s four congressional seats faced off Monday, followed by four Republicans fighting for retiring Sen. Mitt Romney’s seat. A crowded field of candidates vying for the state’s only open U.S. House seat will be debated Wednesday.
Cox’s brand of socially conscious conservatism has led to occasional disputes with Republican legislative leaders since taking office in 2021 and has at times put him at odds with the national party as it has moved further to the right. As president of the National Governors Association, he urged state and federal leaders to work across party lines to find common ground. He has also criticized former President Donald Trump and expressed his desire earlier this year for a different Republican candidate.
In non-election years, Cox vetoed several hard-line conservative bills, including a transgender athlete ban which he said targeted a very small number of vulnerable children who were already at high risk of suicide. The Legislature quickly overturned this veto.
Utah’s LGBTQ+ community has since criticized Cox for what some see as a drop in support now that he faces re-election.
This year, Cox approved a policy ban trans people from bathrooms that align with their gender identityand another banning diversity training and inclusion programs on university campuses. He supports a U.S. Senate candidate who supported Trump’s re-election bid and, for the first time this year, did not declare June as Pride Monthopting for what he called “Bridge Building Month.”
Lyman and other critics have accused Cox of supporting certain groups and causes only when it is politically expedient. The governor defended his record, insisting he approached difficult decisions with compassion for everyone. He has used the office to advocate for expanding mental health resources and has took on social media giants which he argues harms the state’s youth.
His challenger is best known for organizing an illegal quad bike ride in protest of a federal land ruling. The 2014 protest occurred after federal authorities closed a canyon in southeastern Utah to motorized vehicles to protect Native American housing, artifacts and burial sites. Lyman argued that the closure constituted overreach on the part of the federal government.
In 2015, a judge sentenced him to 10 days in jail and three years of probation after a jury found him guilty of misdemeanor counts of illegal use of ATVs and conspiracy. Trump later pardoned Lyman in December 2020, erasing the conviction from his record.
Lyman mentioned his short sentence in many campaign speeches and promised to continue fighting federal overreach if elected.
