Tuesday, July 8, 2025
⏰ Tick Tock
Days to Utah's 2025 municipal primary elections (8/12/2025) - 35
Days until Election Day (11/4/2025) - 119
Days until the 2026 midterm elections (11/3/2026) - 483
Days until the 2028 presidential election (11/7/2028) - 1,218
What I'm thinking about this morning...
In Utah’s theopolitical landscape, it’s big news when the Church of Jesus Chris of Latter-day Saints wades into the political arena. That's why Monday's decision from the IRS that churches and other houses of worship can endorse political candidates.
But I am not convinced that's where this will have the biggest impact in Utah.
Church leaders have gone out of their way to remain politically neutral. For example, in 2023, the Church sent a letter to local congregations warning of the “threat to democracy” posed by straight-ticket voting.
There are other, smaller churches in Utah that have no qualms about being nakedly political - and the IRS decision will hypercharge that.
Take Faith Baptist in Layton, for example. At a recent meeting of the Davis County Conservative groups, Pastor Chuck Beickel told attendees that they specifically push their members to become Republican Party delegates.
“I didn’t understand how our own government worked here until I sat down with Trevor Lee a few years ago. At that time, we had one delegate. And since then, we’ve taught our church how to run for delegate. And right now, I think we have 30 delegates in our church,” Beickel said.
During his talk, Beickel called SB54, which created the signature-gathering path to the ballot “unconstitutional,” and attacked Gov. Spencer Cox for using that method to win the Republican nomination over Phil Lyman, who just happened to be the special guest at that meeting.
“You don’t just sit by and violate the Constitution and act like nothing happened. It needs to be exposed. God’s gonna use some of you to help that happen.”
Once scarcely needs oracular powers to divine that Cox would have found himself shunned by their endorsement process in 2024.
Tuesday morning's headlines:
Utah and the West:
Utah House Speaker rallies behind doctor accused in fraudulent COVID vaccine card scheme. [Utah Political Watch]
Utah Sen. Mike Lee says selling off public lands will solve the west's housing crisis. Past sales show otherwise. [ProPublica]
Planned Parenthood of Utah joins lawsuit challenging congressional effort to "defund" the organization. [Utah Political Watch]
Major SNAP changes worry anti-hunger advocates. [KSL]
Ralph Menzies' attorneys say death row inmate's dementia has worsened. [Utah News Dispatch]
Coyotes remain as wily as ever, even as Utah has paid millions in bounties. [KUER]
National
The IRS says churches can endorse candidates from the pulpit. [New York Times]
Someone impersonating Secretary of State Marco Rubio contacted foreign officials, a U.S. governor and a member of Congress using AI to mimic Rubio's voice and writing style. [Washington Post]
60% of Americans believe President Donald Trump's tariffs will have a negative impact on the economy. [Marist Poll]
The Senate GOP's top super PAC more than doubled its fundraising record - pulling in $85 million during the first half of 2025. [Axios]
The TSA will no longer require passengers to remove their shoes while going through airport security. [ABC News]
Alex Jones breaks down in tears over the Justice Department's announcement that the fabled Jeffrey Epstein client list does not exist. [X]
International
President Trump said Monday the U.S. will send more weapons to Ukraine. The pronouncement comes just days after ordering a pause in weapons deliveries. [Associated Press]
President Trump threatened tariffs between 25 percent and 40 percent on imports from 14 countries. [Washington Post]
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu nominated President Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize. [Fox News]
Healthcare
The health of children in the U.S. has deteriorated over the past 17 years. Children today are more likely to have obesity, chronic diseases and mental health issues according to a new study. [Associated Press]
