This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated.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.

Nancy Pelosi now predicts Democrats could take the House. Romney says Gary Johnson should be in the debates. Herbert says he'll vote for GOP ticket without endorsing Trump.

Happy Thursday. While not promising a landslide, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi says the Republican Party's persistent struggles have put Democrats within striking distance of taking over the House and that control of the chamber could be decided by the slimmest of margins. [<a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2016/09/pelosi-democrats-could-take-the-house-227850">Politico</a>]

<strong>Topping the news: </strong>Mitt Romney came back from a Twitter break on Wednesday to tweet that he hoped to see Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson participate in the presidential debates. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4327125-155/mitt-romney-says-libertarian-gary-johnson"; target="_blank">Trib</a>] [<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2016/09/07/mitt-romney-wants-gary-johnson-on-debate-stage-but-isnt-endorsing-him/"; target="_blank">WaPost</a>] [<a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2016/09/mitt-romney-libertarians-johnson-weld-227853"; target="_blank">Politico</a>] [<a href="http://fox13now.com/2016/09/07/mitt-romney-calls-for-johnson-weld-to-be-included-in-presidential-debates/"; target="_blank">Fox13</a>] [<a href="http://kutv.com/news/nation-world/mitt-romney-says-he-hopes-johnsonweld-make-it-to-debate-stage-in-fall"; target="_blank">KUTV</a>]

-> State Sen. Steve Urquhart, originally planning on retiring at the end of the year, resigned from the Legislature on Wednesday to work as a global ambassador for the University of Utah. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4327212-155/sen-steve-urquhart-resigns-moves-takes"; target="_blank">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865661914/Steve-Urquhart-resigns-from-Utah-Senate.html"; target="_blank">DNews</a>] [<a href="http://www.good4utah.com/news/local-news/utah-senator-steve-urquhart-resigns"; target="_blank">ABC4</a>] [<a href="http://kutv.com/news/local/utah-senator-steve-urquhart-resigns-from-utah-state-senate"; target="_blank">KUTV</a>]

-> Gov. Gary Herbert said Wednesday that he would vote for the Republican ticket and admired Gov. Mike Pence, but avoided endorsing Donald Trump. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4327069-155/herbert-once-again-dodges-on-support"; target="_blank">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://fox13now.com/2016/09/07/utah-governor-on-trump-i-dont-need-to-talk-about-this-anymore/"; target="_blank">Fox13</a>] [<a href="http://www.good4utah.com/news/local-news/gov-declines-to-endorse-trump-but-will-vote-the-ticket"; target="_blank">ABC4</a>]

<strong>Tweets of the day: </strong>From @<a href="https://twitter.com/DamienFahey"; target="_blank">DamienFahey</a>: "Can't believe the guy who makes a living showing us quick and easy summer meals for moms on-the-go didn't hold Trump's feet to the fire."

From @<a href="https://twitter.com/ddiamond"; target="_blank">ddiamond</a>: "Getting question after question about Clinton's emails at #NBCNewsForum is like being on a reply all chain with America's uncles."

From @<a href="https://twitter.com/MattyIceAZ"; target="_blank">MattyIceAZ</a>: "Donald Trump's understanding of foreign policy makes George W Bush look like Winston Churchill."

<strong>Happy Birthday: </strong>to former State Rep. Kory Holdaway.

<strong>In other news:</strong> A Utah District Court judge signed an order blocking Gov. Gary Herbert from withholding funding from Planned Parenthood. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4325599-155/judge-prohibits-utahs-gov-herbert-from"; target="_blank">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865661897/Judge-signs-order-barring-Utah-from-cutting-Planned-Parenthood-funds.html"; target="_blank">DNews</a>] [<a href="http://www.good4utah.com/news/local-news/judge-says-state-can-cancel-planned-parenthood-funding"; target="_blank">ABC4</a>]

-> Hanging signs on freeways is a Class B misdemeanor, but the Utah Department of Transportation doesn't enforce that law — especially during campaign season when many County Council and legislative candidates are violating it. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4322293-155/campaigns-breaking-the-law-with-election?fullpage=1"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]

-> Gov. Gary Herbert hinted that when he visits Washington soon he might pitch an alternate plan for protecting Bears Ears that doesn't involve the Obama administration making it a national monument. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4326093-155/utah-gov-herbert-hints-he-could"; target="_blank">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://utahpolicy.com/index.php/features/today-at-utah-policy/10720-">UtahPolicy</a>]

-> The governor also said that his budget proposal will not include a tax hike for public education. [<a href="http://utahpolicy.com/index.php/features/today-at-utah-policy/10728-">UtahPolicy</a>]

-> Facing criticism that his fundraiser at this weekend's production of "Saturday's Voyeur" is "bigotry," Democratic candidate for Utah governor Mike Weinholtz defends the play as harmless social satire and Salt Lake City tradition. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4326256-155/defending-fundraiser-dem-hopeful-mike-weinholtz"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]

-> The Democratic National Committee created a Victory Leaders Council in Utah, stocked with prominent local Democrats, in an effort to turn a red state blue in a unique election. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4327376-155/dems-announce-effort-to-mobilize-voters"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]

-> The Salt Lake Tribune's Emma Penrod continues her story on the summer's algal bloom crisis with a section on how changing water use rights in Utah could be part of the solution. [<a href="http://local.sltrib.com/online/waste-water/"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]

-> The Environmental Protection Agency added Gold King Mine in Colorado, which spilled toxic metals into rivers in Colorado, New Mexico and Utah in August 2015, to the Superfund list of federal cleanup sites. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4326108-155/mine-that-spilled-toxic-metals-into"; target="_blank">APviaTrib</a>]

-> A Bureau of Labor Statistics report says that Utah County had the second-fastest job growth in the nation in the first quarter of 2016 compared to 2015, largely because of the development of Silicon Slopes tech companies. Though the national average weekly wage decreased, Utah's continued to grow. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4325794-155/utah-county-no-2-nationally-for"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]

-> The site-selection team for two new homeless shelters in Salt Lake City is beginning to butt heads with the Salt Lake City Council, who worries such large shelters will overwhelm neighborhoods. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4325538-155/two-new-homeless-shelters-not-so?fullpage=1"; target="_blank">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://kuer.org/post/city-council-considers-more-shelters-fewer-beds#stream/0"; target="_blank">KUER</a>]

-> Pat Bagley comes down on Rep. Jason Chaffetz for hovering on the topic of Hillary Clinton's emails when he has a similar history and a policy of not disclosing congressional emails. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/4327410-155/bagley-cartoon-chaffetz-probe"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]

<strong>Nationally:</strong> Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton talked foreign policy and national security at the NBC News Commander-in-Chief Forum. [<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/07/politics/hillary-clinton-donald-trump-presidential-forum/index.html"; target="_blank">CNN</a>] [<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/08/us/politics/hillary-clinton-donald-trump-national-security.html?_r=0"; target="_blank">NYTimes</a>] [<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-calls-for-defense-sequester-to-end/2016/09/07/7dda8548-7513-11e6-be4f-3f42f2e5a49e_story.html"; target="_blank">WaPost</a>] [<a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2016/09/clinton-trump-commander-forum-227860"; target="_blank">Politico</a>] [<a href="http://time.com/4483205/donald-trump-hillary-clinton-commander-in-chief-forum/"; target="_blank">Time</a>]

-> Florida Rep. David Jolly brought a jar of mosquitos to the House floor Wednesday to give fellow congressmen an idea of how his constituents feel about the spread of Zika. The act follows a third defeat of a Zika funding bill by Senate Democrats. [<a href="http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/house/294785-florida-lawmaker-brings-jar-of-mosquitoes-to-house-floor"; target="_blank">Hill</a>] [<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/07/us/politics/zika-senate-congress.html?ref=politics"; target="_blank">NYTimes</a>] [<a href="http://time.com/4482277/zika-congress-david-jolly/"; target="_blank">Time</a>]

-> The State Department released emails between Hillary Clinton and Colin Powell, the secretary of state whose place Clinton would take. In the emails, Powell gives Clinton advice on how to get around State Department security and federal record-keeping by using a private server. [<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/07/politics/hillary-clinton-colin-powell-emails/index.html"; target="_blank">CNN</a>] [<a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2016/09/colin-powell-hillary-clinton-emails-227861"; target="_blank">Politico</a>] [<a href="http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2016-election/house-democrats-release-email-between-colin-powell-hillary-clinton-n644616"; target="_blank">NBCNews</a>]

<strong>Where are they?</strong>

<ul>

<li>Rep. Jason <a href="https://twitter.com/jasoninthehouse"; target="_blank">Chaffetz</a> chairs an Oversight Committee hearing on FOIA compliance at the State Department.</li>

<li>Rep. Chris <a href="https://twitter.com/RepChrisStewart"; target="_blank">Stewart</a> sits down with the American Healthcare Association, delivers remarks to the National Association of Counties, attends a congressional hearing discussing his Veterans Tricare Choice Act, and meets with the General Dynamics Corporation.</li>

<li>Rep. Mia <a href="https://twitter.com/RepMiaLove"; target="_blank"><strong>Love</strong></a> meets with constituents, votes, and hits a Select Panel on Infant Lives meeting.</li>

<li>Gov. Gary <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/GovHerbert"; target="_blank">Herbert</a></strong> starts the day with a Utah Operational Excellence Conference and Cedar City Chamber Economic Summit. Then he greets the Romanian ambassador and heads to the Utah State Fair.</li>

<li>Lt. Gov. Spencer <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/SpencerJCox"; target="_blank">Cox</a></strong> has no public events.</li>

<li>President Barack <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/BarackObama"; target="_blank">Obama</a> </strong>appears at a U.S.–ASEAN meeting, talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India, holds a press conference, and flies back to D.C.</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>