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Letter: Now’s our chance to give the people, not the war chests, the final say in elections

(Francisco Kjolseth  | The Salt Lake Tribune)

(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune)

As the midterms draw closer, pundits and prognosticators are already calling political horseraces before a single vote is cast. Too often, they’re not weighing the issues, they’re sizing up candidates’ “war chests.” Eventually the money itself becomes the prediction, and issues take a back seat to spending.

But deep pockets are no substitute for self-government. As the Utah Constitution puts it, “All political power is inherent in the people” — not in whoever can outspend the competition.

Utah already said so. In 2025, the Utah Legislature passed S.J.R. 7, calling on our congressional delegation to defend the states’ authority to regulate campaign finance and election spending. That call has now been answered in Washington: House Joint Resolution 191, the For Our Freedom Amendment, would restore to Congress and the states the power to set reasonable limits on election spending.

This Constitution Day, let’s honor Utah’s lead. Contact our House delegation and tell them to support HJR 191, and give the people, not the war chests, the final say.

Lydia Jones, Draper

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