Good Monday morning Utah! Thanks for reading “The Rundown”.
📬 Tell me what’s on your mind. Send me your story ideas, news tips, feedback, and thoughts about the news. I read every single message. Send me an email or find me on Twitter @SchottHappens.
Get this newsletter delivered to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign up for free here.
Independent presidential candidate Evan McMullin speaks at a rally in Draper, Friday, Oct 21, 2016 (Alex Gallivan/Special to the Tribune)
🚨 Evan McMullin preparing to take on Mike Lee
The Tribune’s Robert Gehrke with the massive scoop this morning. Former independent presidential candidate Evan McMullin is preparing to announce he’ll run for U.S. Senate in Utah as an independent candidate.
McMullin got just over 21% of the statewide vote in Utah when he ran for president in 2016.
Gehrke points out McMullin is running as an independent because it’s nearly impossible to beat Lee in a GOP primary contest.
Lee’s support outside of the GOP base appears to be soft, which may lead McMullin to believe there’s an opening.
McMullin should have no problem qualifying for the ballot as an independent since he only needs 1,000 signatures from registered voters.
Here’s what you need to know for Monday morning
👀 Advisors to former President Donald Trump talked him out of announcing he was running for president in 2024...for now. [WaPo]
🦠 Is Gov. Spencer Cox doing everything he can to fight the surge in COVID-19 cases in Utah? The Legislature tied his hands by limiting his ability to react, but some say there’s more he can, and should, do. [Tribune]
🏛 Utah lawmakers think they may have come up with a way to get around the forthcoming vaccine or testing mandate for businesses with 100 or more employees. But, the move could be very risky. [Tribune]
💉 COVID-19 vaccine mandates are working...so far. Most people are getting vaccinated instead of losing their jobs. [Axios]
⚖️ The Supreme Court begins its new term today. The justices could issue landmark rulings on abortion, gun rights, and school choice. [CNN]
💵 A massive trove of private financial records shows how the wealthy have hidden billions of dollars around the globe. [WaPo]
🏛 The House committee investigating the January 6 attempted insurrection is bracing for former President Trump to fight their efforts to investigate what role he or his allies may have played. [Politico]
💻 Frances Haugen says she leaked secret internal documents from Facebook to force the social media giant to make needed changes. [WSJ]
📭 Many Americans will see mail service slow down starting this week as the U.S. Postal Service’s restructuring plan begins to take effect. [WaPo]
🌎 Climate change could turn the Great Salt Lake into a significant source of air pollution. [Tribune]
🛢 Officials are warning of an “environmental disaster” after thousands of gallons of oil leaked from an oil rig and washed up on beaches near Los Angeles. [WaPo]
🤝 756 refugees from Afghanistan are beginning to arrive in Utah. Here’s how you can help. [Tribune]
🏛 Former Utah state Rep. Carl Wimmer alleges he was the victim of workplace discrimination, claiming he was denied a promotion because of his work as an evangelical preacher. [Tribune]
➡️ Salt Lake City Council member James Rogers resigned suddenly on Friday. [Tribune]
👀 Sen. Kyrsten Sinema was chased into a bathroom by activists protesting her opposition to a multi-billion dollar spending package. [Forbes]
⭐️ The Nobel Prize in medicine was awarded to a pair of U.S. doctors for identifying how the human body senses temperature, touch, and movement. [WSJ]
Monday morning’s Utah news roundup
Utah
Religion
COVID-19
Environment
Opinion pages
🎂 You say it’s your birthday?!!
Happy birthday to former Utah state Rep. Roger Barrus.
Got a birthday you’d like us to recognize in this space? Send us an email.
