Inside Utah Politics with Lindsay Aerts

The United State Supreme Court has gone home for the summer, but not before dropping some landmark decisions. The high court handed President Trump a loss on one of his marquee policy proposals, denying him the ability to abolish birthright citizenship via executive order. On the same day we saw a win for conservative-governed states like Utah, with the court upholding laws banning transgender girls from women's sports teams. Longtime Utah Supreme Court Justice Christine Durham joins Lindsay Aerts to unpack how the justices made these big decisions. Plus, Utah Republicans are facing a new challenge in CD-1: running as underdogs. Their nominee, Riley Owen, joins the show to explain how he hopes to edge out former Congressman Ben McAdams in a district that analysts expect to heavily favor Democrats.

The United States Supreme Court has dropped their final rulings from the October 2025 term. It was a run of cases for the history books, between a pair of cases upholding bans on transgender girls in women's sports, a major loss for the president on birthright citizenship, and a potential game changer for campaign finance. Panelists Leah Murray and Sarah Reale join Lindsay to discuss the implications of those decisions, and to evaluate the state of the highest court in the land.

Lindsay Aerts unpacks all the big wins and losses on primary election night. Former congressman Ben McAdams details his plans to punch his ticket back to Washington in a new district where there's plenty of unknown. Plus, we sit down with the candidate behind the update rocking Utah politics. Stephanie Hollist, a political newcomer, managed to unseat Senate President J. Stuart Adams in the State Senate District 7 GOP primary. Hear how she got it and what her focus will be heading into a general election.

Governor Cox announces a new executive order that gives the State Forester and town fire marshals far greater power to restrict, and in some cases ban, private firework displays. It comes as over 100,000 acres burn in severe wildfires across the state, including the Cottonwood Fire, which the governor described as the most destructive fire in state history. Panelists Adam Gardiner and Erin Rider weigh in on the interplay between, legislative, executive, and municipal authority to handles these types of issues, and the political tensions that arise when those entities butt heads. Plus, Senate President J. Stuart Adams' loss on primary night to Stephanie Hollist sends shockwaves through state politics. We unpack the downstream impacts on leadership and legislative priorities.

Your Local Election Headquarters is all over the results of the primary elections. We were there when Stephanie Hollist learned she had unseated Senate President J. Stuart Adams and we brought the race calls live in our first election on new congressional maps. Now, panelists Taylor Morgan and Leah Murray return for an encore performance the morning after to unpack why things shook out the way they did. How did the data center debate impact races up and down the ballot? How did Reps. Blake Moore and Celeste Maloy fend off challenges from the right from Karianne Lisonbee and Phil Lyman? And what impact did the open primary have on the race for Utah's new CD-1? We share our takes and analysis as the dust settles and the stage is set for midterms.

On the eve of the election, we're sitting down with the candidates in what's set to be a highly watched State House primary race. In HD-16, incumbent Representative Trevor Lee faces an in-party challenge from Bob Stevenson, a veteran of Davis County politics. They join Lindsay to explain their priorities heading into election day. Plus, a last second controversy in the highly watched race for the Democratic Party's nomination in CD-1. Candidate Liban Mohamed says he was accused for an election crime he can't have committed. The county clerk has since apologized, claiming it was a case of mistaken identity. Our reporter spoke to both sides to parse out what exactly happened, and why Mohamed feels it's a case of racial profiling.

The heat continues to climb in Utah's second congressional district, with Congressman Blake Moore saying his challenger has engaged in "outright defamation." It comes after outgoing state Rep. Karianne Lisonbee captioning a now-deleted X post “I came from nothing and built my American dream with hard work. I will not watch politicians like Blake Moore spend away our children’s and grandchildren’s future while making millions insider trading. No more.” Panelists Leah Murray and Taylor Morgan join Lindsay to discuss whether this is too far or par-for-the-course negative campaigning in 2026.

Colorado River negotiations reach their boiling point. Utah Senator Mike Lee says Congress will not reward states that sue other states over water with more federal funding. It comes as Arizona is lawyering up to take Utah to court as deadlock stalls a long-term agreement on the how to share the river's evermore precious water. Amy Haas is the executive director of the Colorado River Authority of Utah and one of the state's chief water negotiators. She joins Lindsay to chart a path forward for the 7 states that rely on the river. Plus, Utah CD-1 is gearing up for a high stakes Democratic primary. Salt Lake County Clerk Lannie Chapman shares new data about how voter behavior is changing this year and explains how you can make sure your voice is heard.

AI money seems to be flowing into Utah's congressional primary races, with big spends in favor of Ben McAdams and Rep. Celeste Maloy. Panelists Adam Gardiner and Leah Murray join Lindsay Aerts to weigh the impact those dollars might have, both positive and negative as we enter uncharted territory with the polarization surrounding AI development and data center infrastructure. Plus, the new map is spurring some interesting voter behavior in Utah's first congressional district. We dig into new data from the Salt Lake County Clerk to see how voters are reacting to Utah's first safe blue house seat in decades.

Opposition to plans to build a massive ICE detention center in Salt Lake City is firing on all cylinders this week, with both Salt Lake City and Salt Lake County filing a lawsuit arguing the plans have not gone through the proper legal channels. Some non-profit groups have also filed their intent to seek a lawsuit of their own against DHS on similar ground. Panelists Taylor Morgan and Leah Murray join Lindsay to analyze the political trajectory of the controversial project, and whether the ICE facility risks becoming the next data center debate. Plus, the Pentagon revised its list of religious affiliations to no longer specifically delineate which sects are Christian after massive backlash from Utah leaders. We attempt to unpick just what is going on here, and to find the line between the political and the theological.

In this special edition of Inside Utah Politics with Lindsay Aerts, we sit down with Kevin O'Leary for two interviews at a key juncture in the development of the Stratos Project hyperscale data center planned in Box Elder County. We dig deeper into Lindsay's conversations with Mister Wonderful to understand the plans from his perspective, his reaction to a request to cut down the project area by 75%, and why he feels like the rollout has gotten off on the wrong foot. We also ask the shark some of your questions, and press him on his allegation that some opponents of the project are spreading misinformation at the behest of China.

Kevin O'Leary has released his promised letter responding to a demand from Senate President J. Stuart Adams to shrink the Stratos data center project and put up certain environmental guardrails and transparency requirements. Panelists Taylor Morgan and Leah Murray join Lindsay to unpack what this means for the political debate over data centers in Utah and across the nation. Plus, Governor Spencer Cox has declared June as Fidelity Month, a move local advocates are calling ‘a slap in the face’ to the LGBTQ+ community. In doing so, Utah joins a handful of other red states in forgoing a pride month declaration to instead focus on the importance of fidelity to God, spouses and families, and our country and communities. We evaluate what might have motivated the move from a politician once thought of as a heterodox voice in the GOP on LGBTQ+ issues.

Shark Tank host and multi-millionaire Kevin O'Leary sat down with Lindsay Aerts to respond to the pushback to his data center project in Box Elder County. He tells us that he feels blindsided by the letter published by Senate President J. Stuart Adams which asked him to cut down the size of the Stratos Project by 75%. Panelists Adam Gardiner and Erin Rider join Lindsay to unpack what happened here and what we can make of O'Leary's first on-camera comments to local TV news. Plus, Republican candidates for Congress clash on stage as primary ballots sent out. We discuss whether Rep. Blake Moore, state Rep. Karianna Lisonbee, Rep. Celeste Maloy or former Rep. Phil Lyman moved the needle on debate night.

Primary season is heating up in Utah as candidate for Utah's congressional race on both sides of the aisle prepare to take the debate stage. Panelists Leah Murray and Taylor Morgan join Lindsay to set both the expectations and the stakes. We are just days away from ballots going to Utahns across the state. Plus, President Donald Trump is dealing with low approval ratings here in Utah. The president has always had a tougher time with Utah voters than those in other red state. We look into what it might take to change that as his party heads into an important midterm election.

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox has declared a drought emergency after a record low snowpack has left our reservoirs below where we'd like them to be heading into the hottest and driest part of the year. It comes amid growing tensions over data center development in the Utah, with locals at city council meetings across the state voicing their concerns about potential environmental impacts of these projects meant to support emerging technology and economic growth. Lindsay Aerts sits down with decision makers in the state's Department of Natural Resources to understand how the state goes about making decisions about our state's water use.

It's a data driven episode of IUP+ for you today. Rep. Blake Moore's campaign released new internal polling data that shows him with a comfortable lead over state Rep. Karianne Lisonbee. We're also seeing a new local poll digging into how Utahns feel about plans for a data center in Box Elder County, which found that most people are not convinced the economic gains justify the water tradeoffs. Panelists Leah Murray and Adam Gardiner join Lindsay to assess how seriously both polls should be taken and what insight we can glean either way. Plus, GOP lawmakers sound off on the DOJ plan to create a $1.776B fund for those who believe the department prosecuted them for political purposes.

President Donald Trump is wrapping up his visit to China to discuss economic collaboration with a large group of business leaders in tow. Panelists Taylor Morgan and Adam Gardiner join Lindsay to discuss what the two countries have to offer one another and how the US should approach the idea of greater economic and security collaboration with China. Plus, Prop 4 is proving to be a major topic of discussion in Utah's CD-2 Republican primary contest. Rep. Blake Moore defends his role in the anti-gerrymandering effort while supporters of Rep. Karianne Lisonbee accuse him of paving the way for Utah to send a Democrat to Congress.

Utah Supreme Court Justice Diana Hagen is stepping down after allegations that she was involved in an extramarital affair with the lead lawyer for the plaintiffs suing the state over redistricting. State leaders had been promising a new investigation into the claims that Utah's Judicial Conduct Commission found to be speculative because they don't believe the commission went far enough to investigate them. Panelists Taylor Morgan and Leah Murray join Lindsay Aerts to unpack what the move signals for judicial independence in Utah. Plus, Utah Senator John Curtis seems to be considering running for governor. We analyze why we're hearing about those plans so far ahead of primary season and under two years into his first term in the senate.

State and local leaders are facing continued backlash over plans to move forward with a data center planned in Box Elder County. Panelists Taylor Morgan and Erin Rider join Lindsay to discuss how the state and developers can address both the angst and what some are calling confusion and misinformation. For context on the incident between ABC4's Bayan Wang, you can see the full story below and read the accompanying statement. https://www.abc4.com/news/digital-exclusives/reporter-jj-nursery-utah-senator-jerry-stevenson-box-e…KTVX/KUCW stand on the story we aired and posted on ABC4.com. We presented the events of Bayan Wang’s interaction with Senator Jerry Stevenson completely and accurately.ABC4 arrived on the property after communicating with J & J management. It was not our intention to interview Sen. Stevenson after the state informed us he was unavailable. What you see on video was an unplanned encounter after Sen. Stevenson approached our team in the parking lot.After the events captured on camera, and our debrief with police, ABC4 accepts the Senator’s apology and intends to respect the trespassing warning issued at that time.Bayan Wang is declining to press charges against the Senator at this time.

The Box Elder County commission votes to move forward with plans for a massive data center despite weeks of public pushback. It's a fraught time for data center development across the country and here in Utah in particular. Just this past week, Governor Spencer Cox came out in support of developing more data centers in our state and across the nation as a matter of national security in the AI tech race against China. Panelists Leah Murray and Taylor Morgan join Lindsay to unpack the impact of this decision and whether the political fallout could be larger than you might think at first.

Utah's most senior member in the House is heading into a serious primary challenge. Outgoing state Rep. Karianne Lisonbee is fresh off a commanding victory at the Utah GOP State Convention over incumbent Rep. Blake Moore. She joins Lindsay today to discuss the perspective she hopes to bring to Washington and why she think it's time for voters to move on from Rep. Moore. Plus, some leaders in the state GOP are calling on voters to not retain two justices on the state supreme court. We talk to leadership at the Utah State Bar to hear their concerns about the party becoming so directly involved in a judicial retention election.

Utah Governor Spencer Cox fielded questions on a slate of hot button issues in his monthly press conference to wrap up April. Reporters, including our own Lindsay Aerts got his take on the controversy over plans for a massive data center in Box Elder County, and the latest flare in tensions between the state leaders and the judiciary. Panelists Adam Gardiner and Erin Rider join the show to react to the governor's positions on the issues and explore the sticky topics that are top of mind for the state's political press corps.

We're coming off the heels of a big weekend in state politics, where both the Utah GOP and Utah Democrats narrowed down their primary fields for this year's midterm elections. Panelists Taylor Morgan and Leah Murray weigh in on what we learned about our new congressional districts and what we can expect come election day this June. Plus, gunfire at the White House Correspondent's Dinner sparks renewed fears about how America protects its leaders, as President Trump says it's another reason to finish the White House Ballroom.

A newly released report on allegations against Supreme Court Justice Dianna Hagen is making a big stir. State leaders are calling for an entirely new investigation, saying the Judicial Conduct Commission did not go far enough when it looked into claims she had an extramarital affair with the lead plaintiff's attorney on the state redistricting case. JCC found those allegations to be speculative, Panelists Taylor Morgan and Leah Murray join Lindsay to unpack the political reaction, and analyze the ethical issues at play.

We are just days away from state party nominating conventions. Utah GOP Chair Rob Axson joins Lindsay to look ahead to what we can expect when hundreds of delegates from across the state gather to influence the direction of the party heading into the critical 2026 midterm elections. Plus, Josh Romney joins the program to discuss Great Salt Lake Rising, a new effort from a group of prominent families to get more water to the lake as it heads into the summer.

Newly resurfaced posts from social media accounts linked to Sen. Nate Blouin rock the all-important democratic primary in Utah's first congressional district. The posts contain slurs, jokes about sexual assault and derogatory comments about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Panelists Taylor Morgan and Erin Rider join Lindsay to break down the impact the posts could have on both Blouin's career and his chances at the state convention in just over a week. Plus, Utah Valley University drops commencement speaker Sharon McMahon after days of pressure from conservative groups and officeholders.

It was a busy weekend for Salt Lake County Democrats, long-time DA Sim Gill scraping by to stay on the ballot and Sen. Kathleen Riebe dropping out of the hotly contested CD1 primary race. Panelists Taylor Morgan and Leah Murray join Lindsay to explain what this tells us about the state of the party heading into their state convention. Plus, President Trump posts and deletes an AI generated image that seems to depict him as a religious figure. We dig into what the post says about the president's approach to religious tension amid an increasingly more public feud with Pope Leo.

The US Supreme Court rules against a Colorado state law banning conversion therapy on First Amendment grounds, sparking questions over Utah's own ban. Panelists Taylor Morgan and Leah Murray join Lindsay to unpack what the ruling, and whether the highest court in the land got it right. Plus, the fight in Utah's CD-2 is heating up after a series of high profile endorsements for both Rep. Blake Moore and state rep. Karianne Lisonbee. We dig into how impactful endorsements can actually be as convention and primary season gets going.

Utah's anti-gerrymandering law known as Proposition 4 has been to qualify for the November ballot. The GOP backed effort is vowing to continue its fight. Panelists Erin Rider and Sarah Reale break down what happens next. Plus, with Utah's new map, the Congressional races are already getting spicy. And, Mayor Erin Mendenhall looks to restrict water going to the ICE facility.

Congress debates how to fund the Department of Homeland Security, including TSA workers. Sen. John Curtis outlines what he would like to see from the negotiations. Plus, Curtis responds to President Trump, who says that he will not sign funding without passing the SAVE Act. Plus, Utah's anti-gerrymandering law, known as Proposition 4, has failed to qualify for the November ballot. The executive director of Better Boundaries, Elizabeth Rassmusen defends their signature removal tactics.

The effort to put a repeal of Utah's anti-gerrymandering rules on the ballot this year is on the verge of failing to qualify. Panelists Taylor Morgan and Leah Murray join Lindsay to weigh in on where the Prop 4 fight could go next, and what this whole saga says about the state of direct democracy in Utah. Plus, Senator John Curtis sponsors a bipartisan proposal to ban sites like Kalshi and Polymarket from offering lines on sports. It's the latest effort from an elected Utahn to rein in the emerging alternative to sportsbooks that remain illegal in states like Utah. But does the idea have the legs to pass both chambers of Congress, and does it strike the right balance when it comes to federalism?

Our record-breaking winter is over and the results are not pretty. The snowpack may have already peaked weeks earlier than it should have at a record low. Department of Natural Resources Executive Director Joel Ferry joins Lindsay to assess how the policy tools at their disposal can address the serious problem, and what the state's message will be heading into the hot months. Plus, national democrats set their sights on Utah. DNC Chair Ken Martin tells donors and state party leaders that they're hoping to lay the groundwork for a purple Utah. Utah Democratic Chair Brian King joins us to explain how they plan to make that big goal a reality. And for the first time, Governor Spencer Cox addresses the plans for an ICE facility in Salt Lake City.

Governor Spencer Cox breaks his silence on the plans to put an ICE facility in Salt Lake City. The governor expressed frustration over the lack of coordination with local and state leadership, but ultimately supports a new ICE facility in Utah. Panelists Leah Murray and Taylor Morgan weigh in on the impact a bigger DHS presence could have in our state and the wider issue of immigration enforcement nationally. Plus, the lieutenant governor expresses her displeasure with the lack of communication between Utah Senator Mike Lee and her office over the impacts the Save Act could have on the way our state runs its elections.

Elected democrats have been vocal about their opposition to plans to put an ICE detention facility in Salt Lake City. Panelists Taylor Morgan and Sarah Reale weigh in on the impacts the plan could have on state politics and, possibly, new immigration enforcement. Plus, national democrats are putting their cards on the table; they are working toward a purple Utah. we look at how they could mean to get it done.

Senate President J. Stuart Adams joins Lindsay to unpack the work lawmakers have done this legislative session. That includes big agenda defining items like court reform and tax cuts, but also the bills that caught Utah's attention in the 11th hour. With just minutes left to go in the session, lawmakers passed new regulations around signature removal campaigns that could hamper to effort to keep a repeal of Prop 4 off the ballot. It comes as candidate filing opened up for Utah's newly drawn congressional map. Liban Mohamed explains why he decided to make the jump from big tech to politics and responds to comments shared by Rep. Trevor Lee after his announcement.

Congressional candidates are officially filing to run in the primaries, with most of the notable contenders already in the race. Panelists Taylor Morgan and Erin Rider join Lindsay to discuss the new filings, and Phil Lyman and Celeste Maloy in District 3. Plus, a Utah lawmaker voted no to 54% of the 2026 bills, and the panel debates whether that amount is excessive. And is President Trump is requiring his cabinet members to wear a certain type of shoe?

Some 11th hour maneuvers on Capitol Hill have been the talk of the town since Utah's general session wrapped up Friday night. The governor has already signed a bill that would ban signature removal campaigns from pre-paying postage on recission forms. The law take immediate effect, directly impacting the Better Boundaries campaign to keep a repeal of Prop 4 off the November ballot. Panelists Taylor Morgan and Leah Murray join Lindsay to dissect the impact of the new law, and whether it constitutes changing rules in the middle of the game. Plus, candidate filing opens for Utah's new congressional districts. Our panel sizes up the field as it forms.

45 days goes by in the blink of an eye and lawmakers are done with their work in Utah's 2026 general session. Lindsay sits down with Governor Spencer Cox to discuss his perspective on the work the legislature has accomplished this year from court reform to funding for homelessness. Plus, Sen. Scott Sandall weighs in on water, taxes and what could be on the docket for the next time lawmakers convene on Capitol Hill.

Congress considers checking President Trump's power to wage war in Iran as the conflict enters heads towards a week long. Panelist Leah Murray and Taylor Morgan join Lindsay to weigh in the conflict today date and how the role Congress could play in the days to come. Plus, lawmakers debate a proposal that would write The Word of Wisdom into our state's drug laws.

President Trump says operations in Iran could go on for longer than a month, as Iran retaliates across the region for the strikes that killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Panelists Adam Gardiner and Leah Murray join Lindsay to assess the impact this latest conflict could have on America and our allies. Plus, Utah's legislative session is wrapping up this week. We dig into some of the issues that remain to be addressed in these waning days- including an overhaul to main-in voting.

Could Utah go back to a secretary of state running elections? One lawmaker has drawn up the plan to make it happen in the final days of the legislative session despite the senate cooling on the idea. Plus, Rep. Cal Roberts explains the big picture on Utah's 6-month cut to the gas tax and how the state is working to keep energy prices lower in the long term. We also dive into Utah's presence at the president's record-breaking State of the Union address, including a shoutout to one of the members of our delegation.

President Donald Trump broke the all-time record for the longest State of the Union address in his speech to Congress Tuesday night. Panelists Rusty Cannon and Taylor Morgan join Lindsay to unpack the highlights and lowlights. Plus, the Utah GOP sues Better Boundaries over their recission campaign's use of pre-paid postage on mailers asking voters to remove their signatures from the push to put Prop 4 back on the ballot.

A federal court has declined a request for an injunction to block a judge-imposed congressional map, just as the Utah Supreme Court has dismissed the legislature's appeal of that same map at the state level. That means, barring action from a higher court, Utah's newest congressional map all but confirmed to stay in place for the 2026 midterm election. The map includes the state's first democrat-leaning district in decades. Panelists Leah Murray and Taylor Morgan join Lindsay to weigh in on what's next for state politics under the new map, even if it is only in place for one election cycle. Plus, lawmakers tease that changes could be coming to the constitutional court proposal that passed just this month. It comes on the heels of a new lawsuit saying the idea of a three judge panel hearing constitutionally impactful cases at the district level is itself unconstitutional.

We have just two weeks left in Utah's general legislative session for 2026. It's a sprint to the finish with some big proposals left to debate. Will Utah tax social media companies? What's going to be in the state budget? Will the state ban non-citizens from public benefits? Our panel of insiders and experts answers these question. Plus, the federal case to overturn Utah's new congressional map meets for the first time. Hear the arguments that could reshape the midterm elections.

A plan to reduce the gas tax has been unveiled on Utah's Capitol Hill, but now that it will cut state revenue instead of taxing refineries, is it the right plan for Utah? Panelists Adam Gardiner and Sarah Reale weigh in. Plus, Utah's redistricting case hits the federal court, and the Utah legislature is weighing changes to the Utah Fits All scholarship.

Utah Republicans are rushing to meet the deadline to put a possible repeal of prop 4 on the ballot. It's a heavy lift, requiring 8% of all active voters in 26/29 senate districts. Utah GOP chair Rob Axson thinks they can get it done, he joins Lindsay to dive into the massive effort to give the voters a chance to weigh in on redistricting one more time. Plus, comments from an American athlete in Italy draw criticism from President Trump and Governor Cox shares his thoughts as state leaders work to bring the world back to Utah in 2034.

Governor Spencer Cox had some pointed words for the media at the Games in Milan after reporters asked him about a back-and-forth between a US skier and President Trump. Panelists Taylor Morgan and Leah Murray weigh in. Meanwhile, Utah's House leadership is pushing a bill to require by-mail ballots to be returned in person with ID. There are some signs of tension at the Utah legislature, and a bill has passed the House that would ban Prop betting in Utah.

As the legislative session approaches the halfway point, lawmakers are still mulling over some big ideas. Should Utah ban kratom? Do we need voter ID? How should venues supported by public funds accommodate gun rights? Panelists Adam Gardiner and Rusty Cannon join Lindsay to weigh in on the hot button topics driving debate on capitol hill. Plus, a federal court will hear the case over Utah's new congressional map. We dig into what that means for what's set to be an interesting midterm election year in Utah.

As the ink dries on the governor's signature to greenlight state Supreme Court expansion, the Utah State Bar association voiced their concerns that lawmakers are moving too quickly to change the courts. Rep. Matt MacPherson joins Lindsay to discuss his proposal to allow for a three-judge panel to weigh in on constitutional case, and whether he still supports impeachment in Utah's redistricting case. Plus, Utah State University's new president Brad L. Mortensen is hard at work on capitol hill after scathing audit blasted the university's spending under his predecessor.

Utah lawmakers are moving along steadily with a slate of transformative reforms to Utah's judiciary, with Supreme Court expansion already signed into law. Now, the Utah State Bar Association is reiterating its criticisms of some of these proposals and the idea that the legislature is making big changes too quickly. Panelists Erin Rider and Rusty Cannon join Lindsay to share their reactions. Plus, members of Utah's federal delegation join the fight over our state's redistricting process with a new challenge that implicates the US Constitution.