By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
The 2020 gubernatorial race is still a long way off, but a new UtahPolicy.com survey suggests Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox and Fox News commentator Jason Chaffetz are the frontrunners for he GOP nomination.
One in four Utah voters are still undecided, which is to be expected 22 months out from the election, but among those who have a preference, Cox is the leader, followed by Chaffetz and an unnamed Democratic nominee. Every other possible candidate we included on our list was in the single digits.
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Tuesday's news at a glance: Utahns support Herbert's plan to modernize the sales tax system. The Legislature could pass a hate crimes law this year, but not without making some "tweaks" to the bill. Congress begins negotiations to avoid another government shutdown.
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The UtahPolicy.com daily newsletter gets you up to speed on the top local and national news about politics and public policy. Our news is curated by Managing Editor Bryan Schott, along with help from Golden Webb. ((Click here to subscribe))
Today is the 30th day of the year. There are 335 days remaining in 2019.
6 days until President Trump gives his State of the Union address (2/5/2019)
43 days until the final day of the 2019 Utah Legislature (3/14/2019)
94 days to the Utah State Republican Party Organizing Convention (5/4/2019)
124 days until the municipal election filing period opens (6/3/2019)
128 days until the municipal election filing period ends (6/7/2019)
195 days to the 2019 Utah primary elections (8/13/2019)
279 days to the 2019 municipal elections (11/5/2019)
362 days to the first day of the 2020 Utah Legislature (1/27/2020)
370 days to the 2020 Iowa Caucuses (2/3/2020)
638 days until the 2020 presidential election (11/3/2020)
Poll: More than 6 in 10 Utahns support Gov. Herbert's tax modernization proposal
By Bob Bernick, Contributing Editor
Utahns across the board like GOP Gov. Gary Herbert's idea of broaden the sales tax base, and cutting the rate, a new UtahPolicy.com poll finds....
Senate leaders say hate crimes bill may be headed for some changes
By Bryan Schott and Bob Bernick
It may be only the second day of the 2019 Legislature, but it appears that Utah is on the verge of adopting a workable hate crimes bill - one that includes protections for the LGBTQ community....
Stewart accuses James Comey and James Clapper of lying to Congress when asked about Roger Stone
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
Rep. Chris Stewart said Tuesday that President Donald Trump should not be held responsible for those associated with his campaign who have been indicted for lying to Congress. Additionally, Stewart accused former FBI Director James Comey and former Director of National Intel...
Governor's office ramping up pressure on lawmakers to cut sales, not income taxes this year
By Bob Bernick, Contributing Editor
Watch for an interesting debate coming out of GOP Gov. Gary Herbert's office over the next few weeks as he and Republican lawmakers haggle over whether to cut the state sales tax or personal income tax this year....
President Trump's approval rating still below 50 percent in Utah
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
President Donald Trump's approval rating is still below 50% in Utah according to a new UtahPolicy.com survey. Stretching back to the 2016 election, the president has never enjoyed majority support in the Beehive state....
Utahns confident in current business conditions but think conditions will get slightly worse
By Press release
The Zions Bank Utah Consumer Attitude Index decreased 1.9 points to 113.9 in January. The year-over-year CAI dropped by 4 points. In comparison, the national Consumer Confidence Index decreased 6.4 points to 120.2 this month....
Deseret News
Editorial: America is aging alone, that's a problem
Utah House approves formal appointment of new legislative auditor general
Utah's commissioner of higher education announces retirement at end of year
Utah House passes criminal code cleanup bill that would repeal laws against adultery, sodomy
Resolution would make Utah Constitution gender neutral
Utah public school funding up more than $1 billion since 2012
Utah asks U.S. Supreme Court not to hear lawsuit against candidate nomination law
Utah House panel advances bill to allow candidates to use campaign funds for child care
Bill to stop regulation on resale of event tickets passes through Utah Senate committee
Bill replacing Prop. 3 Medicaid expansion passes committee
Water reform, a first state forest and curbing air pollution on tap for Utah Legislature
About face? Utah Gov. Gary Herbert says 'never say never' about possible re-election bid
Salt Lake Olympics backers seeking $15M to attract sporting events to Utah over next decade
Newly sworn-in Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson vows to have listening ear
Salt Lake Tribune
Op-ed: Utah sales tax reform: Better now than later
Jenny Wilson takes the oath of office as new Salt Lake County mayor
Bill letting Utah candidates use campaign funds for child care sails through House committee
Other
Kent Millington sworn in to represent Utah, Tooele counties on UTA Board of Trustees (Daily Herald)
Lawmakers begin negotiating to find a way to avoid another shutdown. House and Senate negotiators are discussing border security and other issues. Republicans suggested tying an increase in the nation's borrowing limit to funding for President Donald Trump's border wall. That idea was rejected out of hand by Democrats - https://wapo.st/2G8KVsE
President Trump's advisors are pushing for another shutdown in February. Campaign advisers for Trump's re-election efforts are telling him the last shutdown improved his standing ahead of the 2020 campaign, so another one might be advantageous - http://bit.ly/2GbazwN
Trump met with Putin in November with no aides from the U.S. present. President Trump had several minutes with Russian President Vladimir Putin during the G20 summit in November without a note taker or interpreter from the U.S. there. The Washington Post previously reported that President Trump had taken extraordinary steps to hide details of his previous conversations with Putin - http://bit.ly/2FWHTZi
Democrats tap Stacy Abrams to deliver the response to the State of the Union. The Democrat who narrowly lost the Georgia gubernatorial contest gets the prime speaking spot following President Trump's speech - https://wapo.st/2FYDfKo
Hillary Clinton is not running for president. Her former campaign manager says the speculation is just "catnip" for the media - https://cnn.it/2G2eOfd
Intelligence directors say Trump's foreign policy is based on faulty assumptions. CIA Director Gina Haspel and Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats told the Senate Tuesday that North Korea is unlikely to give up their nuclear weapons, ISIS is still a major force in Syria, and Iran is not currently pursuing a nuclear weapon - https://cnn.it/2G8dsOW
Texas Republicans are worried Trump could lose their state in 2020. They're sounding the alarm that the Lone Star State could go blue in a presidential election for the first time since 1976 - https://washex.am/2G0ncLS
Polls! Polls! Polls!
Democrats in Congress may ban members from sleeping in their office. As many as 100 members of Congress sleep in their offices as a way to show voters their frugality - http://bit.ly/2FYeYEb
Eric Trump says Democrats are pushing an anti-American message. He said the party has become "radicalized" and their message is "insane" - http://bit.ly/2FYs83R
Howard Schultz says he might run for president because Democrats are moving too far to the left. He cited the proposal from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to slap a 70 percent marginal income tax rate on the wealthy as part of why he's considering an independent run - https://cnb.cx/2FY7P6M
Trump's company will expand checks of employee's legal status. Following reports that they hired undocumented workers at Trump's golf courses, President Trump's company announced they would institute E-Verify for employees - https://wapo.st/2FYST8G
Harley Davidson turned a profit, but it was wiped out by President Trump's tariffs. The motorcycle manufacturer barely broke even last quarter - https://bloom.bg/2FYRXB5
"Almost instant frostbite." The dangerous cold blitzing parts of the midwest prompted the Postal Service to cancel mail service, and businesses are closing to keep workers safe. The wind chill of 25 below zero can cause frostbite in as little as five minutes - http://bit.ly/2G8QgAg
1649 - British King Charles I was beheaded by order of Parliament.
1798 - The first fight to break out on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives began when one congressman spat in another's face.
1835 - A gunman fired twice on Andrew Jackson, the first attempt on the life of a U.S. president. Jackson wasn't injured.
1933 - Adolf Hitler is sworn in as Chancellor of Germany.
1948 - Mahatma Gandhi is assassinated by a Hindu extremist.
1968 - Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army forces launched a massive attack, known as the Tet Offensive, against South Vietnam, the United States, and their allies.
1969 - The Beatles' last public performance on the roof of Apple Records in London. The impromptu concert is broken up by the police.
1979 - The Iranian government announced it would let Shiite Muslim leader Ayatollah Khomeini return from exile. Washington responded by ordering the evacuation of all U.S. dependents from Iran.
Salt Lake City's Peter Makowski wins 40 under 40 award in economic development
Peter Makowski, Business Recruitment and Retention Manager for Salt Lake City's Department of Economic Development has been selected as a winner in the economic development profession's 40 Under 40 awards, the only award of its kind recognizing young talent in the economic d...
Can the Republic Survive the Mainstream Media? (American Thinker)
Some Dems float idea of primary challenge for Ocasio-Cortez (The Hill)
Coffee clash: Schultz slammed by fellow java magnate (Politico)
In N.H., Bloomberg compares Warren's 'ultra millionaire tax' with chaos in Venezuela (Boston Globe)
Texas Town Committed To Green Energy For 25 Years, Now Residents Are Paying The Price (Hot Air)
A City That Opened Its Doors To Asylum Seekers Has Come To Regret It (Hot Air)
Sense of Self
"All the great organizations in the world, all have a sense of why that organization does what it does." Simon Sinek
Kushner
"According to a new report, Kushner has taken over the shutdown talks. Great, so Mideast peace and the opioid epidemic are all wrapped up! No? You're just the only person he knows? O.K." - STEPHEN COLBERT
