Trump struggling to get back on the winning track. Your Monday morning political briefing from UtahPolicy.com

Local News Highlights: Daily Briefing

Morning must reads for Monday, March 27, 2017

Good Monday morning from Salt Lake City. Today is the 86th day of the year. There are 279 days remaining in 2017.  

Another Wilson may challenge for Hatch's seat. Could Utah become a Democratic stronghold? Trump tries to right the ship after the health care implosion.

The clock:

• 2 days until the last day Governor Gary Herbert can sign or veto bills (3/29/2017)
• 54 days until the Utah Republican State Convention (5/20/2017)
• 82 days until the Utah Democratic State Convention at Weber State University (6/17/2017)
• 225 days until the 2017 municipal elections (11/7/2017)
• 301 days until the opening day of the 2018 Utah Legislature (1/22/2018)
• 346 days until the final day of the 2018 Utah Legislature (3/8/2018)
• 589 days until the 2018 midterm elections (11/6/2018)
• 1,317 days until the 2020 presidential election (11/3/2020)

Today's political TL; DR - 

• Democrat Jenny Wilson says she's taking a "hard look" at challenging for Sen. Orrin Hatch's seat in 2018 [Utah Policy].
   
• Was there a misunderstanding between Gov. Gary Herbert and legislative Republicans over a bill that could cut requirements to place Democrats on state boards and commissions? Herbert vetoed the bill last week [Utah Policy].
   
• Stats guru Nate Silver suggests Utah could become a "blue" state in the future [Deseret News].
   
• Following the crash and burn of the Republican health care bill last week, Utah's delegation to Congress is reluctant to try again. Sen. Mike Lee is the only member of Congress from the Beehive State to cheer the defeat of the legislation [Deseret News, Tribune].
   
• Emails from Salt Lake County officials show the struggle over the decision to build a new homeless shelter in the county [Tribune].
   
• Donald Trump's White House is in disarray after the effort to repeal Obamacare went down in flames last week, and aides are worried Trump's agenda could be in danger of failing [Politico]. 
   
• How did the ultra-conservative Freedom Caucus scuttle the Republican healthcare reform bill? They made a secret pact not to commit to a vote without consulting the whole group [Politico]. Congressional Democrats are feeling emboldened following the health care repeal, and President Donald Trump is seemingly reaching out for their help [Wall Street Journal, Politico].
   
• President Donald Trump taps his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, to lead a new White House office to overhaul the federal government using ideas from the business world [Washington Post].
   
• What's next for Congressional Republicans following the stinging defeat of the Obamacare repeal last week? Tax reform is the next item on the agenda [New York Times].
   
• Sen. Orrin Hatch says Democrats treated Supreme Court nominee Judge Neil Gorsuch shabbily during his confirmation hearings last week [Wall Street Journal].
   
• First Lady Melania Trump is reportedly miserable in her new role now that her husband is the president [New York Post].
   
• Conservative firebrand Tomi Lahren has reportedly been banned permanently from Glen Beck's The Blaze for a TV appearance where she said she was pro choice when it comes to abortion [The Hill].
   
• United Airlines is defending the decision to keep some girls who were wearing leggings from boarding an airplane for violating their dress code [Huffington Post].

On this day in history:

• 1513 - Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon sighted Florida.
   
• 1836 - The first Mormon temple was dedicated, in Kirtland, Ohio.
   
• 1886 - Apache leader Geronimo surrendered to U.S. federal authorities.
   
• 1964 - Alaska was rocked by a powerful earthquake that killed 114 people. The magnitude 9.2 quake was the biggest in the U.S. and the second largest worldwide since 1900.

Today At Utah Policy

Exclusive: Democrat Jenny Wilson 'taking a hard look' at challenging Hatch in 2018
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
Salt Lake County Councilwoman Jenny Wilson tells UtahPolicy.com she's giving serious thought to running for U.S. Senate in 2018....

Analysis: Did miscommunication or partisanship lead to Herbert's veto of HB11?
By Bob Bernick, Contributing Editor
More than a few Utah GOP legislators may be a bit miffed at Republican Gov. Gary Herbert over his veto of HB11....

Utah's private sector job growth ranks No. 1 in the nation
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
On the heels of the newly released February 2017 job numbers for the state of Utah, new U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data indicates that Utah ranks No. 1 for private job growth in the U.S. at 3.5 percent....

Policy News

Salt Lake City joins Amicus brief opposing President Trump's "sanctuary city" Executive Order
Mayor Jackie Biskupski announced Salt Lake City has joined 33 other cities and counties across the United States in a friend-of-the-court brief supporting Santa Clara County’s motion to block enforcement of President Donald Trump’s Executive Order 13678....

Breakfast with the Ambassador of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
World Trade Center Utah, in partnership with the Governor's Office of Economic Development and the Salt Lake Chamber, is delighted to welcome Her Excellency Dina Kawar, Ambassador of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan....

Press release: Gardner, Lee lead effort to reduce government regulations
Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO) and Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) introduced the Reducing Excessive Government (REG) Act, legislation that would require any increase in the debt limit approved by Congress and the President be accompanied by a proportional reduction in regulatory burde...

Local Headlines

Salt Lake Tribune

Op-ed: As a doctor who treats addicts, I support access to vapor products

Op-ed: Cantwell-Hatch bill would bring more affordable homes to Utah

Op-ed: Impairment begins with the first drink, and Utah made the right move

Editorial: There is still a chance to fix Utah's new DUI bill

Rep. Chris Stewart postpones town hall; Poll shows most Utahns want Congress members to hold meetings

Ted Wilson calls it a day - and it's real this time

Sen. Mike Lee alone in Utah delegation cheering pulling of GOP health care bill

Guv vetoes bill that could have cut Democrats out of state boards

Gov. Gary Herbert signs bills involving abortion, highways and the Spiral Jetty

Poll: Majority of Utahns now view Trump favorably

Voters skeptical of concealed gun law as protection for sex-assault victims

A new overflow shelter? A closed day center? Single men in Midvale? Emails provide a glimpse into ongoing discussions among homeless plan collaborators

Deseret News

Frank Pignanelli & LaVarr Webb: Views on DUI law, homeless sites and education funding

Op-ed: Don't put the new homeless shelter by the Jordan River Parkway

Op-ed: The Trump federal budget and what it means for the U.S.

Op-ed: Politicians need to be voted out

Hal Boyd: Traditional marriage, Christianity and cowardice on the college campus

Jay Evensen: Can GOP leaders simplify the income tax? History says no

Op-ed: Building a virtual wall

Editorial: Start a high school student's day later in the morning

Could Utah become a blue state? Why expert Nate Silver says it already is

Utah House delegation frustrated by no vote on health care, signals reluctance to try again

About Utah: Outdoor retailer is happy right where he is

Other

Editorial: With alcohol, unpopular prevention is still worth saving lives (Daily Herald)

Changes to Zion Curtain won't affect most restaurants (Daily Herald)

Editorial: In their fervor to control alcohol, Utah lawmakers are killing the economy (Standard-Examiner)

Event aims to close political divide (Park Record)

National Headlines

Angry over U.S. healthcare fail, Trump voters spare him blame (Reuters)

House Conservatives Are Undeterred After Health-Bill Failure (Wall Street Journal)

GOP struggles to govern despite a monopoly in Washington (Associated Press)

Can Republicans govern if they can't keep a promise they've made for 7 years? (McClatchy)

Trump taps Kushner to lead a SWAT team to fix government with business ideas (Washington Post)

Trump Said to Issue Far-Reaching Reversal of Obama Climate Push (Bloomberg)

Woman arrested three times as she tries to see President Trump (CNN)

Sen. Lindsey Graham Fights Back at Rowdy Town Hall: 'Bring It On' (NBC News)

Wall Street fear threatens a dramatic comeback in the stock market (MarketWatch)

These Charts Show Alarm Bells Ringing on the Trump Trade (Bloomberg)

Push for Internet Privacy Rules Moves to Statehouses (New York Times)

Wise Words

All the Credit
"No man will make a great leader who wants to do it all himself or get all the credit for doing it." Andrew Carnegie

Lighter Side

Don't Worry
"The vote on the Republican healthcare bill was delayed . . . . because they didn't have enough votes to pass it. When he heard that, Obama called Trump and said, "Don't worry, Obamacare covers depression. So don't worry about it." Jimmy Fallon