Let’s talk issues. Substance should be the focus of any campaign for public office.
There are four issues that, according to public opinion surveys, concern Utah voters most. They are air quality, affordable housing, education and the economy — specifically inflation.
The Salt Lake Tribune Editorial Board asked each of the Republican primary candidates for the Utah seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate for their ideas on what, if anything, the federal government should do to deal with those issues.
There are no primary elections on the Democratic side in Utah this year.
We met with several of the candidates in person. Others provided answers in writing. A few did not respond at all.
Here is what we learned.
Air quality
U.S. Senate
Mike Lee, incumbent, says a major cause of poor air quality in Utah is the massive forest fires that burn in California, fires made more violent by poor federal management of those forests. More aggressive management of federal lands, Lee says, would improve air quality in Utah. Lee also says the federal government could reduce burdens on those seeking to develop cleaner energy and vehicles.
Ally Isom, says she has confidence in the market and in local and state governments to deal with the problem. She favors upgrades in the electric grid, building codes and home appliances as well as more public transit, but opposes federal mandates. “I’d rather put an incentive in place than use a sledge hammer,” she said.
Becky Edwards supports state standards for air quality that may even be more stringent than federal rules, but state officials, rather than the federal government, know best how to accomplish that in Utah. “We need to have control over our own destiny,” she said. Edwards says Utah’s rural areas have great potential to exploit renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and geothermal, but the state’s electric grid needs to be improved in order to transmit that power.
1st Congressional District
Blake Moore, incumbent, says, “My efforts support local initiatives and priorities rather than force a federal agenda. I am supportive of targeted programs that help local entities adapt new, clean technology. I have helped UTA, Summit County, High Valley Transit, and others obtain grants for electric or cleaner buses, charging infrastructure, and more. I’ve also delivered on programs that will help with air, like charting equipment, forest and watershed maintenance (to reduce later emissions associated with fires).”
Tina Cannon, says the role of the federal government in improving air quality would be to better manage federally owned lands, particularly preventing forest fires in California, that send smoke into Utah. Otherwise, she says, local governments and associations such as the Wasatch Regional Council know best what needs to be done.
Andrew Badger did not respond.
2nd Congressional District
Chris Stewart, incumbent, did not respond.
Erin Rider, says air quality is largely an issue of energy and natural resources. She says the drive for American energy independence must include cleaner technologies and argues that better communications between the federal government and state and local governments are needed to come up with solutions that meet local needs.
3rd Congressional District
John Curtis, incumbent, did not respond.
Chris Herrod says, “It is a misnomer that conservative Republicans don’t care about the environment.” He says air quality is a problem best solved by local and state leaders and he opposes federal regulations that would impose a shift to electric vehicles or other forms of green energy.
4th Congressional District
Burgess Owens, incumbent, did not respond.
Jake Hunsaker says the market is moving toward greener forms of energy and local and state governments are taking steps to improve air quality, such as UTA’s Free Fare February. He says the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency doesn’t always understand what policies will work best on the local level, so he mostly favors a hands-off approach by the federal government.
Affordable housing
U.S. Senate
Mike Lee blames poor management of federal land for a shortage in affordable housing in Utah. The federal government owns more than two-thirds of the land in Utah, and Lee has proposed legislation that would allow local governments to acquire federal land for housing or infrastructure development as a way of reducing housing costs.
Ally Isom refers to homelessness as “an issue that has a face for me.” She says local action and market forces responding to demand are the best ways to deal with the shortage of affordable housing, though the federal government could provide resources for transitional housing through block grants to the states.
Becky Edwards says, “Safe and secure housing is one of the biggest markers for successful experiences in school and in the workplace.” She says that lack of affordable housing does not only harm the lowest-income families, but larger portions of the workforce, teachers and police officers. She supports more funding for the National Housing Trust Fund and the use of targeted tax credits. She says the federal government could ease the pressure on rural communities by transferring more federal land to community control.
1st Congressional District
Blake Moore says, “I support addressing the long-term sustainability of our supply chains for construction materials, reviewing how we harvest timber from federal lands, and passing legislation to incentivize more middle-income housing in walkable areas, to foster innovative public-private partnerships to increase the availability of affordable housing, and the Yes In My Backyard Act to increase home construction through better zoning, by-right development, and faster permitting.”
Tina Cannon says that the only part the federal government has to play in housing affordability is to make some of the land it owns in Utah available to local communities to use as they see fit.
Andrew Badger did not respond.
2nd Congressional District
Chris Stewart did not respond.
Erin Rider says, “I don’t know that we want the federal government coming in and muddying up the waters.” Local governments should be given the resources, including control of some land now controlled by the federal government, to address the problem.
3rd Congressional District
John Curtis did not respond.
Chris Herrod says that the shortage of affordable housing would be eased if the federal government would stop the flow of illegal immigrants into Utah and the rest of the nation. He favors giving federal land to Utah communities for development but stresses that otherwise housing is not a federal issue.
4th Congressional District
Burgess Owens did not respond.
Jake Hunsaker says housing is an issue that is best solved at the local level, though he would advocate for converting some federal land in Utah to local control.
Education
U.S. Senate
Mike Lee says, “The federal government should play almost no role in education policy because local communities and the state are better tailored at meeting students’ needs. The last thing Utah’s parents, teachers, and students need is for federal bureaucrats to dictate how to run our education system or, heaven forbid, forcing Utah to adopt the failed education model of liberal states.”
Ally Isom says “My heart is with Utah teachers right now, with all they have to face.” She favors increasing the amount of money the federal government sends to local school districts by increasing federal payment in lieu of taxes, a federal program that is supposed to compensate for the large percentage of land in Utah that is owned by the federal government and thus not taxed.
Becky Edwards says education is the responsibility of states and she believes in local control of schools. She would support more land exchanges between the federal government and Utah’s School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration, which would boost funding for education by putting more money into the hands of local districts.
1st Congressional District
Blake Moore says, “The federal government has had a large role in financing education programs for decades, but this involvement has not shrunk achievement gaps. I believe state and local leaders are best positioned to develop and implement rigorous programs and standards that prepare our children to be critical thinkers who are well prepared for the job market.”
Tina Cannon says that Federal Title 1 funding for schools with high proportions of low-income students has been helpful, but that every child is different and that argues for parental choice and local control of education.
Andrew Badger did not respond.
2nd Congressional District
Chris Stewart did not respond.
Erin Rider says it makes sense for educational standards and expectations to be set at the national level, but actual education policy should be set at the local level.
3rd Congressional District
John Curtis did not respond.
Chris Herrod says, “I see absolutely no role” in education for the federal government. He would eliminate the federal Department of Education and send the money now in that department’s budget to the states in the form of block grants to sunset after 10 years.
4th Congressional District
Burgess Owens did not respond.
Jake Hunsaker says education is primarily a local issue, though there is a place for national standards for schools to meet. He says he would be different from Rep. Burgess Owens and would “not demonize” teachers by calling them, “adult strangers and groomers.” “We’re all sick of the toxicity,” Hunsaker said.
Economy
U.S. Senate
Mike Lee says, “Inflation is largely a creature of excessive federal spending and stimulus. Congress spent unimaginable sums of money during the pandemic and President Biden signed trillions more in his early days in office.” He has proposed three pieces of legislation, one that would require a three-fifths vote of Congress on new expenditures during times of high inflation, one to fix the nation’s supply chain difficulties and one to counter the skyrocketing cost of housing in Utah by increasing the amount of land available for building new housing.
Ally Isom says, “Deficit spending is immoral and unsustainable.” She favors a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution and calls for zero-based budgeting, enhanced oversight and fiscal responsibility.
Becky Edwards says, “Congress is broken, and massive spending by the federal government has left hardworking Utahns feeling the financial pressure of inflation every day. It’s time for our elected leaders to put fiscal responsibility back into policymaking, alleviate American families’ financial burden, and encourage future economic resilience. To do so, we must prepare for future economic emergencies by bolstering our supply chain flexibility and working toward energy independence.”
1st Congressional District
Blake Moore says, “President Biden’s tax-and-spend agenda has contributed to inflation, a decrease in America’s GDP, and shrinking paychecks. My efforts to reduce federal spending, reverse the trajectory of our debt-to-GDP ratio, fix the worker crisis to get Americans back to work, address supply chain failures that were further strained by a lack of workers, end freezes on energy leases, fast-track export permits and energy development, and prevent tax hikes on small businesses are at the center of my agenda.”
Tina Cannon says federal spending must be brought under control and the federal tax code must be made simpler.
Andrew Badger did not respond.
2nd Congressional District
Chris Stewart did not respond.
Erin Rider says, “We Republicans talk about being fiscal conservatives but we’re not very good at it.” She stresses the need to reduce the federal debt, saying, “Nobody wants to be under China’s thumb when it comes to our debt.”
3rd Congressional District
John Curtis did not respond.
Chris Herrod says excess federal spending and high energy costs are the major causes of inflation and he would work to reduce both.
4th Congressional District
Burgess Owens did not respond.
Jake Hunsaker says Republicans have lost their way on fiscal policy, having once been the party of restraint and now raising spending and increasing the federal debt. He says there needs to be a very real conversation about mandatory spending programs and a bipartisan caucus working to restructure Social Security and Medicare. Without reform, he said, “We’re promising Americans something we simply cannot afford.”