This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Rural Americans love for Trump might be waning. Former Rep. Herrod emerges from GOP convention for Congress. Democrats pick Kathie Allen for the 3rd, Daisy Thomas for chair.

Happy Monday. Rural America has often backed Republicans in presidential elections, but rarely with the enthusiasm they showed for President Trump in 2016. Still, four in 10 adults in rural America disapprove of his job performance, a hefty number for a president still in the early stages of his tenure. [<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/rural-america-lifted-trump-to-the-presidency-support-is-strong-but-not-monolithic/2017/06/16/df4f9156-4ac9-11e7-9669-250d0b15f83b_story.html?hpid=hp_hp-more-top-stories_rural-politics-8pm%3Ahomepage%2Fstory&utm_term=.8e005c8c1862">WaPost</a>]

-> Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes is no longer being considered to head the Federal Trade Commission. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/5411105-155/utah-attorney-general-reportedly-out-of">Trib</a>]

<strong>Tweets of the weekend:</strong> From @<a href="https://twitter.com/RobertGehrke">RobertGehrke</a>: "My favorite part of the political conventions is always the forty minutes spent bickering over the rules."

-> From @<a href="https://twitter.com/mattyglesias">mattyglesias</a>: "Can't travel to Cuba because human rights but here's a $100 billion arms sale to Saudi Arabia, global champion of freedom."

-> From @<a href="https://twitter.com/jackshafer">jackshafer</a>: "In Trump's America brown cow will make all the chocolate milk we need."

<strong>Opinion section:</strong> The founder of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, Candace Lightner, argues that Utah's toughest-in-the-nation drunken driving law diverts officials from discussing other forms of distracted driving. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/5399043-155/op-ed-founder-of-madd-says-utahs">Trib</a>]

-> Yolanda Badback, a member of the Ute Mountain Ute tribe, pleads with state officials to prioritize the children living on the reservation in White Mesa over a uranium mill. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/5403636-155/op-ed-put-white-mesas-children-ahead">Trib</a>]

-> The founder of Boulder-based Earth Tours, Keith Watts, contends that state officials, not the federal government, are conspiring to make land grabs. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/5403261-155/op-ed-utah-officials-scheme-the-ultimate">Trib</a>]

-> New Salt Lake City resident Regina Pistilli feels that climate change threatens national and global security. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/5402980-155/climate-change-is-a-national-security">Trib</a>]

-> Former journalist Sara Jarman writes about how working at a marijuana dispensary owned by an LDS couple complicated her views on the drug. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/5403715-155/op-ed-working-in-a-mormon-owned-marijuana">Trib</a>]

-> Americans should avoid getting distracted by the Trump administration's drama and speak out on health care, writes Julie Day of the University of Utah's Community Physician Group. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/5403034-155/op-ed-when-it-comes-to-health">Trib</a>]

-> Executive Director of the Utah Museum of Contemporary Art, Kristian Anderson, argues that some of the best art is that which challenges governmental and societal expectations. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/5403551-155/art-that-stands-the-test-of">Trib</a>]

-> In the wake of violent political acts, George Pyle argues that the most effective vehicle of change is civility. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/5407210-155/george-pyle-civility-has-never-been">Trib</a>]

-> Pat Bagley depicts Megyn Kelly's interview with Alex Jones. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/5411618-155/bagley-cartoon-megyn-kelly-and-alex">Trib</a>]

-> Robert Gehrke argues that a lot is at stake in the feud between the governor and the legislature over the rules and deadlines for the 3rd Congressional District special election. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/5414125-155/gehrke-the-showdown-between-the-governor?fullpage=1">Trib</a>]

-> Frank Pignanelli and LaVarr Webb discuss the race for the 3rd congressional district seat. [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865683052/LaVarr-Webb-and-Frank-Pignanelli-3rd-District-race-will-add-heat-to-summer-politics.html">DNews</a>]

<strong>Weekend in review:</strong> The Utah Republican Party is $500,000 in debt and has lost contributors due to infighting, so Rep. Jason Chaffetz paid for the GOP convention to nominate a candidate to take his place. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/5411178-155/the-utah-gop-is-so-broke">Trib</a>]

-> The United Utah Party aims to sue the state to get their candidate, Jim Bennett, on the ballot for the 3rd Congressional District special election. [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865683180/Backers-of-new-Utah-political-party-say-theyll-sue-to-get-candidate-in-congressional-race.html">DNews</a>]

 

-> If President Donald Trump reduces the size of Bears Ears National Monument, oil and gas development in the area is expected to increase. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/home/5351997-155/if-bears-ears-monument-gets-smaller">Trib</a>]

-> Utah has a high demand for skilled laborers, so the state is developing programs to fill those positions. [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865683174/Grant-program-targets-demand-for-skilled-workers.html">DNews</a>]

-> A new report by the National Low Income Housing Coalition says that Utahns making minimum wage must work 94 hours per week to afford a two-bedroom apartment. [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865683191/Utah-Democrats-gather-to-pick-3rd-District-candidate-new-party-leader.html">DNews</a>]

-> The Utah School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration canceled a mineral lease on scenic land near Capitol Reef National Park in favor of selling it. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/5406953-155/utah-trust-lands-agency-nixes-gravel">Trib</a>]

-> The American Preparatory Academy's efforts to obtain land through eminent domain have led to debates over whether or not charter schools have that right. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/5381935-155/should-utah-charter-schools-be-allowed">Trib</a>]

 

-> The Utah Muslim leader stranded in Kenya was allowed to return to the United States on Saturday. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/5413605-155/utah-muslim-leader-once-stranded-in">Trib</a>]

-> Three well-known names in Salt Lake County are in the running to replace Sheriff Jim Winder. [<a href="http://www.good4utah.com/news/local-news/exclusive-3-famous-names-want-sheriff-winders-job/744831226">ABC4</a>]

-> The Utah Sheriffs Association jail operations director blamed hundreds of in-custody deaths in recent years on a statewide suicide epidemic. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/home/5411692-155/utah-sheriffs-defend-jail-practices-after">Trib</a>]

-> A nurse at the Uintah County jail allegedly gave medications to inmates without a prescription. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/5410410-155/utah-jail-nurse-accused-of-illegally">Trib</a>]

-> Ephraim's police chief has been placed on leave, but the allegations against him are undisclosed. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/5411025-155/ephraims-police-chief-placed-on-leave">Trib</a>]

-> After admitting to posting a racist meme to the public Facebook page of an NAACP leader, a Layton Police Officer resigned. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/5410355-155/layton-police-officer-resigns-after-posting">Trib</a>]

-> Participants in the State of Black Utah town hall discussed slavery and issues faces by the community today. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/5410742-155/utahns-commemorate-the-end-of-slavery">Trib</a>]

-> D. Todd Christofferson, an apostle of the LDS Church who was a law clerk for a federal judge who played a significant role in uncovering the Watergate scandal, said to students at Oxford University that they should mind their ethics to avoid a similar controversy.[<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/5409733-155/nixon-could-have-saved-his-presidency">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://www.good4utah.com/news/top-stories/elder-christofferson-speaks-on-watergate-scandal/744312102">ABC4</a>]

<strong>Where are they?</strong>

<ul>

<li>Gov. Gary <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/GovHerbert"; target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Herbert</a></strong> holds a planning meeting, speaks with Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, meets with staff and takes calls from constituents. Later, he talks to the Governor's Leadership Team then attends weekly meetings with his general counsel and the lieutenant governor.</li>

<li>Lt. Gov. Spencer <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/SpencerJCox"; target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Cox</a></strong> holds a Workplace Safety Week press conference, attends the Governor's Leadership meeting and has a weekly meeting with the governor.</li>

<li>State Auditor John <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/FrugalDougall"; target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Dougall</a> </strong>prepares a legislative presentation, reviews draft audit reports, participates in a teleconference with an audit firm and meets with a legislator and local government official.</li>

</ul>

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— Thomas Burr and Emily Anderson

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