Two candidates are running in the Republican primary for governor of Utah on June 25, 2024—incumbent Gov. Spencer Cox (R) and Phil Lyman (R).
Candidates in Utah may qualify for a primary ballot through a petition process or by winning at least 40% of delegates’ votes at a convention. Cox qualified through the petition process. Lyman defeated Cox 67.5% to 32.5% in the second round of ranked-choice voting at the state’s Republican Nominating Convention in April 2024.
According to The Deseret News, Cox “was met with some applause and a chorus of boos” at the convention. In his convention speech, Cox said, “I’m a little worried about our caucus convention system. There are a whole bunch of people out there who want to get rid of this. I hope you’re not giving them more ammunition today.” In response to his nomination, Lyman said, “I don’t take any votes for granted. I know that I have to work hard to earn every single vote and that delegates are some of the most involved patriots in our state.”
Cox has been in office since 2021. He defeated Chris Peterson (D) 63.0% to 30.3% in the 2020 general election. Cox was the state’s lieutenant governor from 2013 to 2021. According to The Deseret News, Cox “made headlines [in 2020] for a video he made with [the] Democratic nominee” where they “express their shared commitment to democratic values and mutual respect.” Cox represented District 58 in the Utah House of Representatives in 2013. Before public office, Cox was the vice president and general counsel of CentraCom Interactive.
Cox said his campaign would focus on his gubernatorial record: “What I know is we have overwhelming support all across the state and it’s because we get things done. Because we’re working hard. We’re keeping the promises we made four years ago. And so what matters to me is the people can see that when they vote in the primary and in November.”
Lyman represents District 69 in the Utah House of Representatives. He previously served as the Commissioner for San Juan County, Utah. Lyman also owns the accounting firm Phil Lyman Financial Advisory Services, LLC. In December 2020, President Donald Trump (R) pardoned Lyman of misdemeanor charges from organizing an illegal ATV ride in protest of federal land management practices. Lyman was sentenced to 10 days in jail, three years probation, and ordered to pay restitution.
Lyman said his arrest in 2015 inspired him to run for governor: “What compelled me to run for state legislature and for the governor’s office is watching the government unjustly hurt people and take away their stuff, and fighting that fight at the county level got me charged with a federal misdemeanor trespass charge.”
The lieutenant governor is also up for election. In Utah, gubernatorial and lieutenant governor candidates run as a ticket. Cox named Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson (R) as his running mate, while Lyman selected Natalie Clawson (R).
This is one of 11 gubernatorial elections taking place in 2024. The governor serves as a state’s top executive official and is the only executive office elected in all 50 states. There are currently 27 Republican governors and 23 Democratic governors.
Heading into the 2024 elections, there are 23 Republican trifectas, 17 Democratic trifectas, and 10 divided governments where neither party holds trifecta control. There are 25 Republican triplexes, 20 Democratic triplexes, and five divided governments where neither party holds triplex control.
A state government trifecta refers to a situation where one party controls a state’s governorship and majorities in both chambers of the state legislature. A state government triplex refers to a situation where the governor, attorney general, and secretary of state are all members of the same political party.