(SALT LAKE CITY, UT) - Ahead of tonight’s Utah gubernatorial general election debate, Utahns may be asking which version of Governor Spencer Cox will show up on stage. In recent years (and weeks, frankly), his position has changed on numerous important issues. Rather than standing on his alleged principles, he takes his cues from extremists in the legislature, national political winds, and outside special interests.
Ahead of the debate, Gabi Finlayson, Brian King’s Campaign Manager, said, “Utahns deserve a governor who stands up for what’s right—every day, not just when it’s convenient. Governor Cox has spent the last four years chasing after praise from moderates, far-right Republicans, the occasional Democrat, special interest groups, and now Donald Trump—trying so hard to be everything to everyone but standing for nothing. Brian King is running because Utah needs a leader who’s consistent, trustworthy, and not swayed by political pressure. It’s time for a governor who leads with conviction, not convenience.”
Here are just a few of Cox’s many inconsistencies:
On Donald Trump
January 11, 2021: “I certainly think it would be good for the nation if [Trump] were willing to resign” (Good Morning America)
February 15, 2024: Nominating Trump is a “huge mistake” (Deseret News)
July 11, 2024: “I’m not going to vote for either presidential candidate this year. I’ll write somebody in, as I’ve done in the past.” (Salt Lake Tribune)
July 19, 2024: “I am doing everything I can to help and support [Trump]” (Utah News Dispatch)
On Ballot Initiatives
November 11, 2021: Signed gerrymandered maps in defiance of voter-passed independent redistricting (Salt Lake Tribune)
June 11, 2024: “I've always said that I think it's a mistake when we overturn the will of the people…decisions made by the people are always better” (Utah Debate Commission)
August 22, 2024: Signed bills allowing constitutional amendment on the ballot to give legislature authority to ignore voter-passed ballot initiatives (ABC4 Utah)
On Education
September 25, 2020: “We have a problem in equity when it comes to education…if you live in wealthy neighborhoods or on the east side, you get a tremendous amount more funding per student in those school districts than you do on the west side or in rural Utah. That's something that has to change” (Utah League of Cities and Towns)
January 28, 2023: Signed school voucher bill to send taxpayer money to private schools, disproportionately hurting public schools in rural and underserved communities (KUTV)
On the LGBTQ Community
March 22, 2022: Vetoed transgender sports ban, saying: “Rarely has so much fear and anger been directed at so few. I don’t understand what [these kids] are going through or why they feel the way they do. But I want them to live.” (Politico)
January 28, 2023: Signed S.B. 16, banning gender-affirming care for trans kids (Deseret News)
January 30, 2024: Signed H.B. 257, banning trans Utahns from using bathrooms aligning with their gender identity in schools, government building (Fox 13)
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Brian King represents District 23 in the Utah State House of Representatives. Elected in 2008, he also served as the House Minority Leader from 2015 to 2023. In addition to his role in public service, Brian is a practicing attorney and business owner. He lives in Salt Lake City with his wife, Ann, accompanied by the delightful presence of their dog, Cora. Brian has four daughters, three stepchildren, and three grandchildren. Watch the campaign’s most recent ad: “A Place for Pioneers”. To learn more about Brian’s campaign for governor, visit kingforutah.com.
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