Situational awareness - January 10, 2018

Hughes not running for re-election

By Bob Bernick, Contributing Editor

Sources tell UtahPolicy.com that Utah House Speaker Greg Hughes will not run for re-election this year.

Hughes, R-Draper, who entered the Legislature in 2002, is the popular two-term speaker, and had previously told UtahPolicy that if he did not seek re-election to his speakership, he would step out of the House altogether.

Read more...

Situational awareness - January 10, 2018

Good Wednesday morning from Salt Lake City. 

Congratulations to Brian Zehnder and Adam Robertson. They were selected by Republican delegates to fill open seats in the Utah Senate and House. Zehnder replaces Brian Shiozawa in the Senate and Robertson replaces Dean Sanpei in the House.

Tick Tock:

• 12 days until the opening day of the 2018 Utah Legislature (1/22/2018)
• 57 days until the final day of the 2018 Utah Legislature (3/8/2018)
• 58 days until the filing period for candidates in the 2018 election opens (3/9/2018)
• 64 days until the filing deadline for the 2018 elections (3/15/2018)
• 69 days until the statewide caucus meetings for Utah Republicans and Democrats (3/20/2018)
• 101 days until the Utah GOP State Convention (4/21/2018)
• 108 days until the Utah Democratic State Convention (4/28/2018)
• 167 days until the 2018 Primary Election (6/26/2018)
• 300 days until the 2018 midterm elections (11/6/2018)
• 1,028 days until the 2020 presidential election (11/3/2020)

Welcome to our daily rundown of the important news stories you need to know. I'm always available at bschott@utahpolicy.com for you to send your story tips, complaints, or rants. I'd love to hear from you.

Tell your friends they can subscribe to our newsletter here.

Here's what's driving the day:

Scoop! Group files ballot initiative to repeal SB54

A group calling itself "Keep My Voice" has filed a ballot initiative to repeal SB54, which would eliminate the signature-gathering path to the ballot for candidates. That means a return to the caucus/convention system as the only route to a party's nomination. Organizers reportedly plan to use the March caucus meetings as a mechanism for getting the 113,000 signatures they need to get on the ballot [Utah Policy].

Report: Romney didn't know Hatch was going to retire

Mitt Romney was reportedly caught off guard by Sen. Orrin Hatch's decision to retire last week. Romney's camp thought Hatch was going to heed President Donald Trump's urging to run for an eighth term. Now that Hatch is out, Romney's wife, Ann, is encouraging him to run [Utah Policy].

McAdams's good start

Democrat Ben McAdams announces he raised more than $500,000 in the first few months after he announced his bid for Congress in Utah's 4th CD. McAdams's campaign says most of that money came from small, individual donations and Utah donors [Utah Policy].

Huntsman's stark warning to Congress

Ambassador to Russia Jon Huntsman warns members of Congress that Russia is preparing to interfere with the 2018 and 2020 elections. "Putin has never been stronger," he reportedly said [Utah Policy].

Some western states are on pace to get more seats in Congress, but not Utah

Population trends show that Colorado, Arizona, Montana, and Oregon are on pace gain seats in Congress after the 2020 Census. Northeastern and Sun Belt states are poised to lose seats [Utah Policy].

Other Utah headlines:

• Gov. Gary Herbert voices support for Rep. John Curtis's bill to allow tribal members to manage the new Shash Jaa' National Monument created by President Donald Trump [Tribune, Deseret News].
   
• Gov. Gary Herbert says he'd like to see Mitt Romney run for Senate this year [Tribune]. Jon Huntsman Sr. agrees [Tribune].
   
• 54% of Massachusetts voters say they think it's a good idea for Mitt Romney to run for Senate from Utah [MassLive.com].
   
• The House Natural Resources Committee, chaired by Rep. Rob Bishop, is using its social media channels to attack Patagonia over the company's opposition to the reduction of Bears Ears National Monument. Some are wondering if that's proper [Tribune].
   
• Aimee Winder Newton is selected to be the new chair of the Salt Lake County Council. She's the first woman to lead that group [Deseret News].
   
• Nathan Evershed announces he's running against Sim Gill, his boss, for the Salt Lake District Attorney job this November [Deseret News].
   
• Rep. Bruce Cutler wants to ban smoking on the Utah Capitol complex [Deseret News]. 
   
• The Salt Lake County Council passes a resolution calling for tougher hate crimes legislation [Tribune].
   
• The Army announces they plan to keep an Apache helicopter battalion in Utah, saving National Guard jobs in the state [Deseret News].
   
• A new study suggests short-term exposure to Utah's inversions may be making elderly Utahns sick, or even killing them, year-round [Tribune].
   
• Provo has the best performing economy among large U.S. metro areas according to a new study [USA Today].

National headlines:

• Democratic Sen. Diane Feinstein defied Republicans on the Senate Intelligence Committee and made public the transcript of testimony from the founders of a research firm behind a dossier alleging ties between Donald Trump's presidential campaign and Russians. The testimony contains claims that the FBI started investigating Russian ties to the Trump campaign before the dossier entered the picture [Washington Post].
   
• A new report from congressional Democrats details increasing Russian interference throughout Europe and warns that the U.S. should take aggressive countermeasures to stop it from happening in the U.S. [Associated Press].
   
• Early on in the Trump administration, a senior National Security Council official proposed reducing the number of U.S. forces in Europe and a friendly overture to Russian President Vladimir Putin [Daily Beast].
   
• President Donald Trump and Congress have reached a deal to negotiate a legislative fix for the DACA program as well as increase border security [NBC News].
   
• A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration from ending protections for thousands of young immigrants who were brought illegally to the U.S. by their parents [New York Times].
   
• Former White House strategist Steve Bannon steps down from his post at Breitbart News. Bannon was forced out by financial backers after he was unable to quell conservative outrage about comments attributed to him in Michael Wolff's Fire and Fury book [New York Times].
   
• A federal court strikes down North Carolina's congressional map, declaring it unconstitutional because it was drawn specifically to advantage Republicans. They've given legislators there until January 24 to draw a new map for the 2018 midterm elections [New York Times].
   
• Controversial former Arizona sheriff Joe Arpaio announces he is running for Senate [Washington Examiner].
   
• President Donald Trump says he would beat Oprah Winfrey in the 2020 presidential race if she decides to run [CNN].
   
• Officials in the Trump White House are telling aides to decide before the end of the month whether they are going to leave the administration or stay on through the 2018 midterm elections. National security adviser H.R. McMaster and White House Counsel Don McGahn are said to be readying their departure [CNN].
   
• A new poll finds most Americans think President Donald Trump will be exonerated by special counsel Robert Mueller this year [Politico].
   
• Mudslides following massive wildfires in California have killed 13 people so far [New York Times].

On this day in history:

• 1776 - Thomas Paine publishes his pamphlet Common Sense.
   
• 1789 - The first nationwide U.S. presidential election was conducted. Electors unanimously chose George Washington as president and John Adams as vice president.
   
• 1861 - Florida becomes the third state to secede from the Union.
   
• 1878 - A constitutional amendment that would give women the right to vote was introduced in the U.S. Senate. It wasn't enacted until 42 years later.
   
• 1946 - The U.S. Army Signal Corps successfully conducts Project Diana, bouncing radio waves off the Moon.

Today At Utah Policy

Group seeking to eliminate signature route for candidates files ballot initiative to repeal SB54
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
A group supporting the caucus and convention system for nominating candidates is aiming to put a petition on the 2018 ballot that would repeal SB54, which would completely eliminate the signature-gathering route....

Report: Romney's were caught off guard by Hatch's retirement; now Ann is encouraging Mitt to run
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
A number of people close to the Romney family say Mitt's wife, Ann, is encouraging him to run for the open U.S. Senate seat in Utah....

Huntsman warns lawmakers Russia preparing to interfere in the 2018, 2020
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
Jon Huntsman, former Utah Governor and current ambassador to Russia, told members of Congress on Tuesday that Russia is preparing to interfere in the 2018 and 2020 U.S. elections and, if they do, relations between the two countries are "done."...

Weekly survey: Will Romney get a Republican challenger?
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
If Mitt Romney jumps into the U.S. Senate race, will he face a credible challenge for the Republican nomination? Also, do you believe the allegations raised in Michael Wolff's book, Fire and Fury? Vote now in our weekly survey....

McAdams raises more than $500,000 in the most recent quarter
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
Democrat Ben McAdams reports raising a little more than $500,000 during the most recent fundraising period in his congressional race against Republican Mia Love....

CYBER 24 podcast: Virginia Gov. McAuliffe leads states efforts to meet the threat of cyber attacks
By Marty Carpenter
Cybersecurity issues receive more and more attention as states come to a better understanding of just how much a target they are for hackers. The more data you have, the bigger of a target you are. But many states were slow to adopt robust security measures and many are stil...

Western states should gain seats in Congress after 2020 Census, but not Utah
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
According to population trends, four western states should gain one or two seats in Congress, while most of the losses will come from the rust belt....

2018 Utah candidate tracker - Congress
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
There's a U.S. Senate seat up for election in 2018 as well as all four U.S. House seats. Here's our list of rumored and declared candidates....

2018 Utah candidate tracker - Utah Senate
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
2018 means another election cycle is upon us. Half of the Utah Senate seats are up for election this year, including an unexpected one because of a retirement. Here's our running list of candidates for those seats....

2018 Utah candidate tracker - Utah House
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
Next week candidates can start gathering signatures to get on the 2018 ballot. All 75 Utah House seats are up for election this year. Here's our running list of who's in, who's out and who's challenging....

Policy News

Sen. Lee statement on Utah retaining apache battalion
Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) released the following statement in response to Army Secretary Mark Esper's recent decision to follow The National Commission on the Future of the Army's recommendation to retain four Attack-Reconnaissance Battalions, each with 18 aircraft, in four state...

Local Headlines

Salt Lake Tribune

Editorial: State school board votes in favor of health and art classes

Utah's air quality is sickening, even killing locals year-round, new research suggests

Jon Huntsman Sr. backs Mitt Romney for Senate, says he'd represent Utah 'very, very well'

Utah Gov. Herbert sees monument changes as helpful 'reset' - but tribes view it as betrayal

Money rolling in for Ben McAdams in his race against Mia Love

Utah Gov. Herbert says Romney should run for the Senate

Tooele's first female mayor in its 165-year history takes oath of office

Salt Lake County district attorney faces a political challenge from inside his office

Deseret News

Ralph Hancock: Donald Trump, President Monson and the times we live in

Op-ed: Utah's special-needs students deserve more choices

Editorial: Compassionate and effective solutions to emulate in the opioid crisis

Prosecutor Nathan Evershed announces run for district attorney

Utah groups honored for fighting 'modern-day slavery'

McAdams says he's raised more than $500,000 for congressional run

Utah lawmaker wants to ban smoking on Capitol campus

Salt Lake County Council picks first chairwoman

Army decision to keep Apache helicopter units saves Utah National Guard jobs

Opting out of tests a sticking point in Utah's plan to comply with federal education law

Utah is top state for population growth, but not because people are moving here

Curtis' monument bill earns praise, criticism

Other

Utah House member, former senator eye bids for Weber County Commission seats (Standard-Examiner)

Legislative town halls to resume as session looms (Logan Herald Journal)

National Headlines

Washington Governor Claims 'Just 59 Days' To Save Children From Global Warming (Daily Caller)

Stocks finish at record highs, S&P 500 has best start to a year since 1987 (CNBC)

Amid Signs of a Thaw in North Korea, Tensions Bubble Up (Wall Street Journal)

Trump, Congress reach deal to negotiate DACA, border security (NBC News)

Steve Bannon Steps Down From Breitbart Post (New York Times)

Joe Arpaio, Ex-Sheriff Pardoned by Trump, Announces Senate Run in Arizona (New York Times)

The Cliven Bundy Prosecution Was a Miscarriage of Justice. He Deserved to Walk Free. (Slate)

Jeff Bezos is now worth more than Bill Gates ever was (Recode)

Coal mogul: Trump should fire energy officials for rejecting Perry plan (The Hill)

Lawmaker charged with pocketing Hurricane Sandy aid (USA Today)

Global growth back at pre-crisis levels, says World Bank (BBC News)

Wise Words

Education

"If a man neglects education, he walks lame to the end of his life." Plato
 

Lighter Side

Moon

"President Trump announced that he wants to send astronauts back to the moon for the first time in 45 years. And then the president was startled when Melania yelled, "I'll go!" Harry Styles