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Much at stake for Romney in Super Tuesday. Hatch more conservative than Lee? Slate looks at Mormon faith's 'racist' past.
Happy Super Tuesday. Today's a big day for the Republican presidential contenders and could be a pivotal moment for Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum. And Ohio is the key. If Romney wins the Buckeye State, his campaign looks to continue to roll toward the GOP nomination. If Santorum takes the state, it could give his campaign a much-needed boost and keep the Santorum-Romney fight going. The New York Times breaks down all the states up for grabs today. [NYTimes]
Topping the news: Conservatives are upset with National Journal's new rankings that place, for example, Sen. Orrin Hatch higher than Sen. Mike Lee. [Politico]
-> The Utah Senate votes to opt out of federal health reform -- which includes Medicaid and Medicare -- but some worry it endangers benefits for Utahns. [Trib] [DNews]
-> The House votes overwhelmingly in favor of increasing the abortion waiting period to 72 hours, upping the current wait by two full days. [Trib] [DNews] [ABC4]
-> Slate asks: Is the Mormon church still racist? [Slate]
Tweet of the day: From @pourmecoffee: "Remember, this Tuesday is 'Super Tuesday' when everyone dresses up in superhero costumes. Don't ask anyone, just trust me."
In other news: Gov. Gary Herbert continues his clean air initiative by announcing that 73 state vehicles will be replaced this year with hybrids, bringing the state's energy-efficient vehicle fleet to 500. [Trib] [APviaABC4]
-> Peg McEntee uses Rush Limbaugh's apology as a spring board to open up the history books on contraception use over the past milleniums. [Trib]
-> State Superintendent Larry Shumway sends a letter to the U.S. Secretary of Education to make known Utah's right as a state to exert full control over the new Common Core academic standards. [Trib]
2012 Watch: Romney and Santorum offer their final arguments in Ohio before the coveted swing state votes. [NYTimes]
-> Voters from all over the nation are gearing up for the biggest election day yet, and volunteers prepare to make it all run smoothly. [WaPost]
-> Santorum has begun to slip in the polls in crucial Super Tuesday states. [NYTimes]
-> Newt Gingrich makes his final Super Tuesday push in Georgia, harping on American energy production and becoming more independent of the Middle East. [CNN]
-> 25 photos of Romney looking normal -- taken straight from the blog of his daughter-in-law. [BuzzFeed]
-> Gingrich and his wife will not be casting votes in his home state of Virginia after not obtaining enough signatures. [NBC]
-> Where will Ron Paul's supporters end up if his name doesn't appear on the nominee ballot? [WaPost]
-> "Green" donors are betting Romney will flip-flop on the climate change issues. [Politico]
-> An Idaho cousin of Romney is now backing ... Ron Paul. [SeattleTimes]
-> Ann Romney says she doesn't consider herself wealthy -- but explains that wealth comes from family and life and not from money. [AP]
-> As he fights off rival Republicans, Romney is also looking ahead and trying to find those donors who can help him in the general. [USAToday]
The Session: Tensions are rising over the state transportation bonding measure and some senators are OK if no bonding happens this year. [UtahPolicy]
-> Republicans and Democrats are maneuvering in the final days for some campaign points. [UtahPolicy]
-> Two of the state's top Democrats resign their posts in the Legislature to spend more time with their families. [Trib] [DNews] [ABC4]
-> Restaurant owners could soon be allowed to sample alcohol before buying in bulk for their establishments, as long as the tastings are supervised by the DABC, after a bill passed unanimously by the Senate. [Trib]
-> Funding for autism remains a debated point in budget finalization as lawmakers balance that funding along with spending on roads and savings. [Trib]
-> High school students might soon have a test to evaluate their college preparedness, under a bill that would grant the State Board of Regents $500,000 to create an online assessment tool. [Trib]
-> A resolution promoting a ski resort interconnect passes through the Senate, revealing a distinct partisan divide, as all seven Democrats voted against the measure. [Trib]
-> A bill is on its way to the governor that would force payday lenders to register with the state or face voided loans, preventing lenders from collecting principal or interest. [Trib]
-> To light a fire under Utahns to vote, lawmakers are pushing the chance in some Utah counties to vote by mail instead of in person, with the Lieutenant Governor's Office studying the practice to determine state-wide implementation. [DNews]
-> A bill that would have given education funding directly to students fails with its large cost and fears of it becoming a logistical "nightmare." [Trib]
-> The House votes unanimously to grant greater transparency in public funding for charter schools, requiring property taxes to state how much is going to the schools. [DNews]
-> The Senate stops a bill that would have allowed Utahns to give extra money to elementary schools when filing income taxes, after concerns that the practice could create disparities in giving between poor and affluent neighborhoods. [Trib]
-> A license plate honoring MLK Jr., to raise money for civil rights, passed the House -- but only after clarifying that "human rights" do not include abortions. [Trib] [DNews]
-> A $7 million dollar school technology bill is making its way through the Legislature just days before the session ends that would require the state school board to create multi-medium interactive math textbooks based on the new education standards. [Trib]
-> A constitutional amendment that would set aside a portion of the state's severance tax on oil and natural gas for future rainy days passes unanimously through the Senate. [Trib]
-> Lawmakers and a technology firm announced a $150,000 grant to fund math labs for the Alpine School District, which will be used for equipment and teacher expenses, kicking off in the Fall. [Trib]
-> Technology-heavy courses and low-income students will be except from a new bill would allow high school students to be charged for concurrent enrollment credit. [DNews]
-> The Senate approves a measure to up the bounty for coyotes to $50 from $20, a push for hunters to kill the species in an effort to protect dwindling deer populations. [Trib]
-> Lawmakers tackle a slew of railroad crossing accidents, calling to more clearly outlaw dangerous activity around crossings, which led to 25 serious incidents last year. [Trib]
-> New dual-immersion programs that would start in the fall at several elementary schools are at risk of being cancelled under current state education budget plans. [Trib]
-> A new fund for fighting the federal government over control of thousands of roads on public lands could get a $1 million boost after the House voted to transfer the money into the state's Public Lands Policy office. [DNews]
Where are they?
SL Co. Mayor Peter Corroon attends the National Association of Counties Legislative Conference in Washington D.C.Got a tip? A birthday, wedding or anniversary to announce? Email us at cornflakes@sltrib.com.
-- Thomas Burr and Laura Schmitz
