UT-Gov 2020: Lt. Gov Spencer Cox (R) in

[smoltchanov]

Endorsed.

[smoltchanov]

Endorsed.

some of these endorsements are very suprising

What's unusual in supporting reasonable Republican, especially - in heavily Republican state?

[smoltchanov]

In a state as red as Utah, I'll root for the least crazy Republican. That seems to be Cox.

The same for me. In the past - relatively conservative Democrat could win there too, but - not in present climate...

[smoltchanov]

Jason Chaffetz out.

https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2019/06/04/jason-chaffetz-says-he/

And that's the game. Of all the right-wing fruitcakes in Utah, Chaffetz was the only one who could beat Cox.

It helps things out, but I worry that even a right-wing state senator or the like could Unite The Crazies at the convention. Any locals have some observations about that?

Well, for what it's worth, I live an hour and a half away from the Utah border and I volunteered for Ben McAdams in SLC. From my observation, the state GOP - at least in recent years - is actually substantially to the right of the Utah electorate. If a right-wing challenge materializes, I expect Cox to lose the state convention and then swamp his challenger in the primary proper as Romney and Curtis did last cycle.

Quite possible. I have a sort of axiom here: "conventions and caucuses are dominated by "activists" (and thus, usually - extremists) in 99% of cases", and reflect nothing, but "activist's" views...