Robert Gehrke

News columnist

Robert has spent more than 20 years primarily covering government and politics in Utah and the West, including seven years in Washington, D.C.

(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Robert Gehrke.

Why Utah’s tech sector is mixing business with politics

By Robert Gehrke | January 26, 2022, 4:06 p.m.

(Rachel Rydalch | The Salt Lake Tribune) House Speaker Brad Wilson, R-Kaysville, drops the gavel for the start of the 2022 legislative session in the Senate chamber at the Utah Capitol in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2022.

House leaders bullied two Salt Lake County Council Republicans to change their votes on the COVID mask mandate. They didn’t budge.

By Robert Gehrke | January 22, 2022, 12:52 a.m.

(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Lincoln Beach at the southern end of Utah Lake has been closed because of a toxic algal bloom on Friday, July 26, 2019.

Draft bill would create a Utah Lake ‘authority’ similar to Inland Port Authority

By Robert Gehrke | Brian Maffly | January 21, 2022, 9:20 p.m.

(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Robert Gehrke.

Utah’s omicron response is a failure with plenty of blame to go around, Robert Gehrke writes

By Robert Gehrke | January 19, 2022, 1:00 p.m.

(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Elder Gerrit W. Gong, one of the Twelve Apostles for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, shakes hands with Senate President Stuart Adams, R-Layton, after giving the opening prayer for the start of the legislative session at the Utah Capitol on Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2022.

Senate President Stuart Adams tested positive for COVID twice Tuesday before publicly announcing he was negative

By Robert Gehrke | January 19, 2022, 12:40 a.m.

(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Gov. Spencer Cox steps into the House chamber following Rep. Francis Gibson, R-Mapleton, motion Friday night that the Legislature hear from “Gov. Gary Herbert.” House Speaker Brad Wilson noted that the motion paper apparently had the name of the former executive branch leader, a mix up that drew laughter from the body. at the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Friday, March 5, 2021, during the final day of the Utah Legislature’s 2021 general session.

The Utah Legislature crowned itself king. Can anything rein it in?

By Robert Gehrke | January 18, 2022, 4:11 p.m.

(Ng Han Guan | AP) A visitor to the Shougang Park walks past the a sculpture for the Beijing Winter Olympics in Beijing, China. China on Monday threatened to take "firm countermeasures" if the U.S. proceeds with a diplomatic boycott of February's Beijing Winter Olympic Games.

Should the U.S. boycott the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing? Robert Gehrke explains why it’s a bad idea.

By Robert Gehrke | January 12, 2022, 1:00 p.m.

(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Robert Gehrke.

Gov. Spencer Cox wades into gubernatorial malpractice as the tide of omicron overtakes Utah, Robert Gerke writes

By Robert Gehrke | January 11, 2022, 7:30 p.m.

(Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune)
Dave Bateman, Entrata, CEO speaks in the opening session to over 14,000 at the 2018 Silicon Slopes Tech Summit at the Salt Lake Convention Center Thursday Jan. 18.

After Entrata founder’s departure, Utah’s tech sector has an opportunity to lead, Robert Gehrke writes

By Robert Gehrke | January 8, 2022, 6:29 p.m.

(Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune) Governor Spencer Cox speaks during The PBS Utah Governor's Monthly News Conference, Dec. 16, 2021 at the Eccles Broadcast Center in Salt Lake City.

Governor gives himself an ‘Incomplete’ grade for 2021. Here’s how Robert Gehrke scored Cox’s freshman year

By Robert Gehrke | January 4, 2022, 7:28 p.m.