After countless hours of volunteering to attend and listen to candidates running for an opportunity to be elected to serve this great state, I attended the Utah GOP state convention. Already many hours into the event, Gov. Spencer Cox took the stage for his re-election campaign speech.
Facing the 4,000 volunteer state delegates, visitors and campaign staff, he was met with a mix of applause and boos from the crowd. I, nor any of the people sitting in my section, booed the governor. Gov. Cox quickly switched from his prepared speech and moved to statements about what he had achieved, before ending with the denigration of the entire body he faced with a statement: “Maybe you hate that I don’t hate enough.” I felt like he had slapped me in the face!
“Maybe” delegates didn’t like his decision to not protect women’s sports from transgender athletes competition or protecting females in their locker rooms. “Maybe” the delegates were frustrated with his rash lashing out publicly regarding BYU vs. Duke women’s volleyball racial slurs — before the facts were discovered! “Maybe” it’s about his embracing of pronouns — and wokeism has made him suspect as a conservative? “Maybe” it’s about him wanting the power to appoint the attorney general, instead of letting A.G.s be elected by the people. “Maybe” it’s about him using SB54 to assure his name on the ballot, while supporting its repeal. “Maybe” the delegates felt gaslighted by his nonconservative actions.
Nevertheless, instead of insulting the entire body of delegates gathered to protect what they value and believe in, a bit of understanding, accountability, patience and the ability to “disagree better” was needed!
As the governor stated following the investigation of the women’s volleyball incident: “Part of that requires patience — something I could have done better in this.”
Carole Gallagher, Wasatch County and state delegate, Heber