Latest news with #SpencerCox
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Poll: Cox sees small boost in approval as he broadens his message to the right and left
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox continues to enjoy majority support among registered voters in the state, according to a new Deseret News/Hinckley Institute of Politics poll conducted by HarrisX. Six months into his second term, the governor has experienced a slight bump in approval since the end of the 2025 legislative session as he has focused on government efficiency, foreign partnerships and religious values. When asked whether they approved or disapproved of the job Cox is doing as governor, 56% of Utah voters surveyed said they approve of Cox's performance in office, 33% said they disapprove and 11% said they are unsure. The survey was conducted online by HarrisX, May 16-21, among 805 registered voters. The margin of error for the sample is +/- 3.5 percentage points. Cox's ratings among Democrats saw the largest shift from the Deseret News/Hinckley Institute poll conducted in April: 37% of Democrats said they approved of Cox's performance in May, compared to 28% the month before. Support among Republicans inched up, within the margin of error, from 66% to 68%. Cox's approval rating among self-identified Independents also increased, bouncing up from 40% to 45%. These ticks upward led to a 4-percentage-point increase in overall support for Cox since April, but he still remains around 10 percentage points below the approval rating he enjoyed before the 2024 election cycle when he regularly hit nearly 65%. 'What I see in these numbers right here is that Gov. Cox has found his steady pace,' said Jason Perry, director of the University of Utah's Hinckley Institute. 'He's removed from the legislative session, he's removed from the calls to veto certain pieces of legislation, and so we're getting a clearer picture of his approval numbers.' Over the past year, particularly since winning his Republican primary election by less than 9 percentage points, Cox has made clear overtures to the political right, saying he needed to improve his ability to 'Disagree Better' with fellow conservatives. Following the Butler County, Pennsylvania, assassination attempt against President Donald Trump in July, Cox reversed his longtime position of distancing himself from the president and wrote a private letter to Trump pledging his support. In the months since, Cox has frequently mentioned his 'great relationship' with the president, even as he has tried to push him in a more civil direction, expressing support for Trump's actions on immigration, law enforcement and tariffs. This year, Cox also may have curried disfavor among Democratic constituents by backing the state Legislature in efforts to reform higher education, end public sector collective bargaining and limit Utah's previously automatic vote-by-mail election system. But following the legislative work window, Cox has reached out across the aisle, across the border and across faith divides in a way that may have appealed to voters across the political spectrum. In April, Cox became the first governor in the country to conduct a trade mission to Canada after Trump announced stiff levies on imports from the country, including targeted tariffs on key Canadian products like steel, aluminum and auto parts. Cox communicated in meetings with top Canadian officials and investors that 'sub-national relationships are more important than they've ever been before,' and that Utah is 'open for business.' Canadians, who said they felt betrayed by America's overhaul of their economic relationship, expressed gratitude for Cox's visit and a desire to strengthen ties with the state of Utah. Cox, a Republican, has also doubled down on his 'Disagree Message,' sitting down with New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, a Democrat, in May to talk about the origins of political polarization and its potential solutions. During the event, Cox said that approaching debates with civility actually leads to better outcomes, and he encouraged Trump to adopt a 'Disagree Better' approach because if he did 'he would be more successful.' Cox has attempted to apply this principle to what are otherwise tense issues: committing in May to launch a program mirroring the federal government's Department of Government Efficiency, DOGE, called 'GRIT,' Government Reform, Innovation & Transparency. But instead of beginning with mass layoffs, the initiative, which requires state agencies to submit efficiency improvements by July 1, aims at 'building a culture where every employee is empowered to solve problems, and every taxpayer sees the results.' Reversing what he considers a regret from his first term, Cox has also started to use his position more actively to highlight the state's unique religious values that contribute to its success. Speaking at the announcement of Utah's 18th-straight No. 1 ranking for economic outlook, Cox said Utah's success is correlated with its status as the most religiously active place in the country. At a separate event for a Utah-based think tank, Cox again pointed to religiosity as the basis for Utah's unique levels of social trust and cohesion, even going as far as to call for a 'religious revival.' Despite the governor's tumultuous 2024 election campaign, the Utah Republican Party appears to still be firmly in the Cox camp. During the state GOP's organizing convention last month, GOP chair Rob Axson, who was endorsed by Cox and several other prominent Utah elected officials, defeated Cox's former gubernatorial opponent, Phil Lyman, in a vote among 2,500 of the state's most engaged Republican voters.
Fox News
3 days ago
- Politics
- Fox News
3 people in custody after shooting at 'No Kings' demonstration in Utah
Three people were taken into custody Saturday night in connection with a shooting during a "No Kings" protest in Salt Lake City, Utah, including a man believed to be the gunman, according to police. Salt Lake City Police said one victim was injured after officers heard gunshots near 151 South State Street just before 8 p.m. The victim was transported to a hospital with life-threatening injuries. The man believed to be the shooter also suffered a gunshot wound and was taken to the hospital with serious injuries under police watch, Police Chief Brian Redd said at a press conference. After receiving information from witnesses, officers pursued the man and took him into custody near 200 East and 100 South. Redd said it was too early to tell if the shooting was politically motivated and whether those involved knew each other. The shooter appeared to be walking alongside the group of marching protesters. Police urged demonstrators to leave the area in an orderly fashion after the shooting. Police earlier said the shooting was "possibly associated" with the protest. The motive for the shooting and the events leading up to it remain under investigation, police said. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, a Republican, said the shooting is "deeply troubling." "The shooting at tonight's protest in Salt Lake City is a deeply troubling act of violence and has no place in our public square," Cox wrote on X. "This is an active situation, and we're working closely with law enforcement to ensure accountability." "My heart is broken for everyone impacted tonight," he added in another post. "Thank you to the thousands of protesters who exercised their constitutional rights in the right way tonight." A group of about 10,000 people marched between Pioneer Park and the Federal Building before the shooting on South State Street. Police were at the scene monitoring the demonstration and providing an escort for the march "to support public safety and the lawful expression of First Amendment rights." Police said the demonstration had been peaceful before the shooting. Fox News Digital has reached out to police for additional information about the shooting. "No Kings" demonstrations rolled out in cities across the country on Saturday to protest President Donald Trump. Participants shouted anti-authoritarian chants and voiced support for protecting democracy and immigrants rights. The demonstrations came on the same day as the roughly $45 million military parade in Washington, D.C., to celebrate the Army's 250th birthday and Trump's 79th birthday.
CBS News
6 days ago
- Politics
- CBS News
1 wounded in shooting during "No Kings" protest in Salt Lake City, police say
One person was wounded in a shooting Saturday evening that occurred during a "No Kings" protest in Salt Lake City, Utah, officials said. Salt Lake City police said in a post to social media that the shooting was "possibly associated with the demonstration." The victim was rushed to a hospital with life-threatening injuries and a person of interest was in custody, police said. No further details were provided, and the circumstances that led up to the shooting were unclear. Police said about 10,000 people had been taking part in the protest. "This remains a very fluid situation," police said. Republican Utah Gov. Spencer Cox in a social media post called the shooting "a deeply troubling act of violence" that "has no place in our public square." "My heart is broken for everyone impacted tonight," Cox wrote in a follow up post. "Thank you to the thousands of protestors who exercised their constitutional rights in the right way tonight." Tens of thousands of people took part in "No Kings" demonstrations in cities nationwide Saturday to protest against the Trump administration and its policies. The protests were designed to coincide with President Trump's military parade, which was held Saturday in Washington, D.C., to honor the 250th anniversary of the Army. The rallies were largely peaceful. However, in downtown Los Angeles, police issued a dispersal order late Saturday afternoon after demonstrators allegedly started throwing objects at law enforcement, prompting the LAPD and L.A. County Sheriff's deputies to deploy smoke and flash-bangs, and utilize tear gas. L.A. has been at the center of a dispute between local and state California officials and the White House over federal immigration enforcement tactics after Mr. Trump last weekend deployed the National Guard and the Marines to respond to protests that were taking place over numerous raids that have been conducted in the L.A. area by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.
Axios
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Axios
How much NASA spends on science in Utah
NASA spends an average of $11 million annually in Utah on scientific missions, per data from The Planetary Society, a pro-space nonprofit. Why it matters: NASA's science efforts bear the brunt of cuts to the agency in the Trump administration's proposed budget, which would slash science funding by nearly 50% to $3.9 billion. The big picture: Science represents roughly 30% of NASA's budget, supporting missions like space telescopes, robotic probes and satellites that gather data about Earth's changing climate. While not always as headline-grabbing as human spaceflight, NASA's science activity has greatly enhanced our scientific understanding of both Earth and our celestial neighborhood. By the numbers: NASA supported 2,375 jobs in Utah and generated $486.6 million in economic output and $17.2 million in state tax revenue in fiscal year 2023, per a state report. Over 60 suppliers in the state have contributed to the agency's Artemis moon exploration program. The intrigue: The proposed cuts come as some Utah officials want to position the state as a leader in space innovation. Gov. Spencer Cox signed a bill in March appropriating $1 million to study the feasibility of a spaceport in Utah for potential space exploration. Zoom out: California (about $3 billion), Maryland ($2 billion) and Texas ($614 million) saw the most average annual NASA science spending across fiscal 2022-2024, the data shows. Zoom in: Missions on the chopping block in President Trump's NASA budget include the Mars Sample Return, an ambitious joint American-European plan to collect Martian soil samples and bring them to Earth for further study. Nearly 20 active science missions would be canceled in total, the Planetary Society says, representing more than $12 billion in taxpayer investments. What they're saying: A chief concern, Planetary Society chief of space policy Casey Dreier tells Axios, is that already paid-for probes and telescopes would be deactivated even though they're still delivering valuable data. "They keep returning great science for the very fractional cost to keep the lights on. And a lot of these will just be turned off and left to tumble in space," Dreier says
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
As Cox advances nuclear agreements, he says the cost to develop technology is nothing so far
Gov. Spencer Cox answers questions from the media during his monthly PBS news conference in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, June 10, 2025. (Pool photo by Bethany Baker/The Salt Lake Tribune) When thinking about Utah's nuclear future, Gov. Spencer Cox said he wants people to think less of the giant nuclear plant where Homer Simpson works, and visualize more a picture of dozens of small modular reactors, stacking in the state over time. While many Utahns are still trying to wrap their heads around the idea Cox is envisioning, he has already signed a couple of memorandums of understanding with companies to help it materialize — and, he said, he wants to go big. On May 23, Cox joined the founder of Valar Atomics, a California nuclear developer, in announcing their partnership to meet President Donald Trump's goal to have an operational advanced reactor on American soil by July 4, 2026, at the San Rafael Energy Research Center in Emery County. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX On Monday, he signed another agreement with another company for the nuclear efforts, Cox said during his monthly news conference broadcast by PBS Utah. A plan for Utah nuclear energy industry's foundation is taking shape 'We're going to be working with all of these companies. We want to find the best technology. We're not betting on any one technology or any one company. That doesn't make sense,' Cox said on Tuesday. 'We're betting on the idea that there is going to be a nuclear renaissance.' While research shows that nuclear developments usually go for a hefty price tag, Cox said that currently the initial plans won't cost anything to the state, since the state already acquired the San Rafael Energy Lab during the 2024 legislative session and that will be one of the state's main contributions in the agreement. 'We're just providing space for these companies to come in and run their new technology there to see if it actually works,' Cox said. 'And so that's not going to cost us anything. The hope is it will save us down the road.' Lawmakers did agree to fund $10 million for Cox's Operation Gigawatt nuclear initiative; the governor said that money is for siting. Utah has also sought to ease the regulations to make nuclear energy production a reality. First by suing the federal government in January — then still under the Biden administration — over its strict rules to permit the resource. Then, by passing big legislation to set the foundation for the state's nuclear energy future. Glowing pains: Developing nuclear power could cost Utah tens of billions The U.S. is lagging behind countries like China in the development of nuclear plants, Cox said. Now, with a new White House administration prioritizing a quicker licensing process for nuclear reactors and ordering a plan to add 300 gigawatts of nuclear energy capacity in the country by 2050, Cox believes Utah can lead the way. 'The market will decide how big that is,' Cox said, 'government is not going to decide that, but we're going to present opportunities.' Other agreements happening across the state have centered around the construction of power-hungry data and AI centers. While Cox says he remains 'fairly agnostic' on them, he believes they'll be built in many areas of the country either way, drawing a substantial amount of energy from states' shared grid. 'Even if we didn't have a single data center here, we would still need to significantly increase our power production,' Cox said. 'If we're going to significantly increase our power production, we might as well put them here.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
