This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Trump suggests canceling election, giving him the presidency. DNC chairwoman woos Utah's votes. The best of the "Mormon mafia" tweets.

Happy Friday. GOP nominee Donald Trump has been arguing that the election is rigged against him, that voter fraud will steal away his victory and the news media is ganging up on him. Now, the business magnate has a new idea to combat that: Skip the election. "And just thinking to myself right now, we should just cancel the election and just give it to Trump, right?" he asked a crowd in Ohio. "What are we even having it for? What are we having it for? Her policies are so bad. Boy, do we have a big difference." [<a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2016/10/donald-trump-election-cancel-230414">Politico</a>]

<strong>Topping the news: </strong>The Democrats took their turn vying for battleground Utah's vote on Thursday with Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Donna Brazile expressing her pride in traditionally Republican states like Utah turning blue. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4516112-155/national-dem-chair-rallies-voters-in"; target="_blank">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865665830/Brazile-urges-Utah-Democrats-to-send-joyful-noise-to-Washington.html"; target="_blank">DNews</a>] [<a href="http://www.good4utah.com/video?videoId=602534753&carousel=1&index=2"; target="_blank">ABC4</a>] [<a href="http://kutv.com/news/local/democrats-roll-clinton-bus-into-utah-hoping-for-a-win-in-traditional-gop-stronghold"; target="_blank">KUTV</a>] [<a href="http://utahpolicy.com/index.php/features/today-at-utah-policy/11268-">UtahPolicy</a>]

-> Rep. Chris Stewart says that despite calling for Trump to let Mike Pence lead the Republican ticket and comparing the GOP nominee to Mussolini, at the end of the day, he'll vote for Trump. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4514011-155/rep-chris-stewart-will-vote-for"; target="_blank">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865665751/Chaffetz-Stewart-now-voting-for-Trump-after-disavowing-GOP-nominee.html"; target="_blank">DNews</a>] [<a href="http://kutv.com/news/local/rep-stewart-says-hell-vote-for-trump"; target="_blank">KUTV</a>] [<a href="http://kuer.org/post/utah-republicans-go-back-and-forth-trump-endorsements#stream/0"; target="_blank">KUER</a>]

-> Democrat Charlene Albarran has closed the gap against Stewart but the incumbent still leads by 25 points, a new poll shows. [<a href="http://utahpolicy.com/index.php/features/today-at-utah-policy/11267-">UtahPolicy</a>]

-> After Fox Business Network's Lou Dobbs tweeted about the "Mormon mafia" that follows Evan McMullin, Mormons embraced the label and ran with it. Catch the best of Twitter quips here. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4513806-155/lou-dobbs-mormon-mafia-tweet-invites"; target="_blank">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://fox13now.com/2016/10/27/utahns-respond-to-mormonmafia-jab-on-twitter-with-good-humor/"; target="_blank">Fox13</a>] [<a href="http://www.good4utah.com/news/local-news/mormon-mafia-criticism-aimed-at-mcmullin-and-supporters"; target="_blank">ABC4</a>] [<a href="http://kutv.com/news/local/mormonmafia-claim-for-mcmullin-ricochets-on-social-media"; target="_blank">KUTV</a>] [<a href="http://www.heraldextra.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/elections/fox-business-host-lou-dobbs-twitter-rant-sparks-mormonmafia-hashtag/collection_25518e98-fc18-524a-adfe-a785f8ab6aa0.html"; target="_blank">Herald</a>]

-> The House Majority PAC ran an anti-Mia Love ad that portrayed someone else's Instagram account as Love's, causing an irked Love to demand Utah TV stations pull the ad. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4514428-155/mia-love-furious-over-dem-tv"; target="_blank">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://fox13now.com/2016/10/26/truth-test-new-player-in-love-owens-race-playing-with-the-facts/"; target="_blank">Fox13</a>]

<strong>Tweets of the day: </strong>From @<a href="https://twitter.com/mckaycoppins"; target="_blank">mckaycoppins</a>: "Spotted at Trump rally: Reporters rolling their eyes as the candidate claims there are 15,000 people here, with 'thousands' waiting outside."

From @<a href="https://twitter.com/Will_Bunch"; target="_blank">Will_Bunch</a>: "'I like vice presidents whose planes don't crash, OK?'"

From @<a href="https://twitter.com/SpencerJCox"; target="_blank">SpencerJCox</a>: "Highly underrated part of #MormonMafia is that most of us don't get the [R-rated] Godfather references..."

<strong>Happy Birthday: </strong>on Saturday to Cornflakes reader E. Jean Tracy and on Sunday to Jill "Whiskey Mittens" Poe.

<strong>Behind the Headlines:</strong> Tribune reporters Matt Canham, Jessica Miller, Jennifer Dobner and Thomas Burr as well as columnist Paul Rolly join KCPW's Roger McDonough to talk about the week's top stories, including BYU and its response to sexual assaults and Rep. Jason Chaffetz voting for Donald Trump after pulling his endorsement. Listen at KCPW.org or tune in to KCPW or Utah Public Radio for the broadcast from <span class="aBn"><span class="aQJ">9-10 a.m.</span></span>

<strong>In other news: </strong>Jonathan Johnson, a Republican who ran against Gary Herbert in the gubernatiorial primaries and an executive at Overstock.com, pulled his endorsement Thursday of a state Senate candidate who condemned a gay teenager who committed suicide as a sinner. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4515927-155/former-guv-candidate-pulls-state-senate"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]

-> The Utah Technology Council that recently endorsed all non-UEA-backed candidates in the state school board election switched sides on two of its endorsements, apologizing for an unfair process that misrepresented the views of the group. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4514027-155/utah-technology-council-flips-its-support?page=1"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]

-> Bob Bernick and Bryan Schott talk this week in politics, saying a vote is the same as an endorsement. [<a href="http://utahpolicy.com/index.php/features/today-at-utah-policy/11269-Bryan%20Schott%20and%20Bob%20Bernick">UtahPolicy</a>]

-> South Salt Lake City Council passed a new anti-nepotism law Wednesday that stops the city from hiring any relative of an elected official. The new solution comes after the mayor, largely the target of the ordinance for her five family members on the city payroll, vetoed a previous attempt at enacting the rule. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4515524-155/new-anti-nepotism-law-to-take-effect"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]

-> Three of Rio Tinto Kennecott's four coal-fired power-generation units in Magna will close because of a deal with Rocky Mountain Power and to the delight of Wasatch Front air quality advocates. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4515161-155/kennecott-to-decommission-3-of-4?page=1"; target="_blank">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865665774/Agreement-shut-downs-Kennecotts-3-coal-burning-units.html"; target="_blank">DNews</a>]

-> Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the LDS Church's Quorum of the Twelve Apostles overstepped church policy when he donated $250 to state school board candidate Richard Nelson. Christofferson acknowledged the mistake, saying he saw the donation to a candidate in the nonpartisan election as a "keep up the good work" gift to a friend. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4515389-155/mormon-apostle-violates-church-policy-by"; target="_blank">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://kutv.com/news/local/lds-apostle-apologizes-for-making-political-donation"; target="_blank">KUTV</a>]

-> The Nation's Report Card shows Utah eighth-graders leading the nation in science scores. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4510354-155/utah-students-lead-the-nation-in?page=1"; target="_blank">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865665825/Utah-eighth-graders-post-top-science-scores-on-national-test.html"; target="_blank">DNews</a>] [<a href="http://kuer.org/post/utah-eighth-graders-have-top-science-test-scores-us"; target="_blank">KUER</a>]

-> Jerry Darger, chief marshal in a polygamous community in southern Utah, said in trial Thursday that the Department of Justice's intent to dissolve his police force represents an unfairly harsh sentence toward the office motivated by contempt for its FLDS roots. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4513630-155/in-testimony-polygamous-towns-police-chief"; target="_blank">CNSviaTrib</a>]

-> President Barack Obama shortened the prison sentence by three years of a Salt Lake City man convicted of making methamphetamine. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4515133-155/obama-commutes-the-sentence-of-another"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]

-> Pat Bagley gives his two cents on the uphill battle faced by the poverty-ridden. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/4515747-155/bagley-cartoon-game-of-life"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]

-> Paul Rolly talks sabotaged political signs, out-of-place judicial retention endorsements, Ute fans helping BYU fans and a new director of the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food stacking the department with pro-Rob Bishop staffers. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4509367-155/rolly-state-federal-gop-ties-are-tight-in?page=1"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]

<strong>Nationally:</strong> GOP Vice Presidential candidate Mike Pence's campaign plane skidded off the rainy runway at New York's LaGuardia airport Thursday night, but no one was hurt. [<a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2016/10/mike-pence-plane-skid-runway-230433"; target="_blank">Politico</a>] [<a href="http://time.com/4548665/mike-pence-plane-skids-runway/"; target="_blank">Time</a>]

-> Campaign finance reports filed Thursday show Donald Trump scaling down his fundraising in October as Hillary Clinton amps hers up. [<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-seeks-firmer-footing-in-ohio-as-clinton-hitches-campaign-to-michelle-obamas-star/2016/10/27/efb9895a-9c39-11e6-9980-50913d68eacb_story.html"; target="_blank">WaPost</a>] [<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/28/us/politics/money-flows-down-ballot-as-donald-trump-is-abandoned-by-big-donors-even-himself.html?ref=politics&_r=0"; target="_blank">NYTimes</a>] [<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/10/27/politics/hillary-clinton-october-fundraising/index.html"; target="_blank">CNN</a>]

-> WikiLeaks has turned its glaring spotlight on the Clinton Foundation, leaking emails of Clinton insiders fretting over potential messes foreign donations to the charity could cause for Hillary Clinton's presidential candidacy. [<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/27/us/politics/bill-hillary-clinton-foundation-wikileaks.html?ref=politics"; target="_blank">WaPost</a>] [<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/10/27/politics/bill-clinton-inc-foundation-wikileaks-emails/index.html"; target="_blank">CNN</a>]

<strong>Where are they?</strong>

<ul>

<li>Rep. Chris <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/RepChrisStewart"; target="_blank">Stewart</a></strong> speaks to the Utah Credit Union Association and tours the Space Dynamics Laboratory.</li>

<li>Gov. Gary <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/GovHerbert"; target="_blank">Herbert</a></strong> hits a Utah Rotary event and meets with office staff.</li>

<li>State Auditor John <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/FrugalDougall"; target="_blank">Dougall</a> </strong>delivers remarks at a Utah Association of School Business Officials conference and drops in at candidate events in Weber and Davis counties.</li>

<li>President Barack <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/BarackObama"; target="_blank">Obama</a> </strong>travels to Orlando to campaign for Hillary Clinton before jetting back to Washington.</li>

</ul>

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— Thomas Burr and Zoe Woolf McGinn

<a title="Thomas Burr" href="https://twitter.com/thomaswburr"; target="_blank">Twitter.com/thomaswburr</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/zoewmcginn"; target="_blank">Twitter.com/zoewmcginn</a>