presidential visit to utah

Hotel Monaco in Salt Lake City becomes fortress for President Joe Biden's visit

by Brian Mullahy, KUTV

SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — Security reinforcements at the Hotel Monaco, located on the corner of Main Street and 200 South, were unmistakable on Wednesday, ahead of President Biden's visit.

City dump trucks were parked bumper to bumper on the east and north sides of the hotel. Streets nearby were blocked off to cars, and Secret Service and police, some armed with long guns, were stationed both in and around the hotel.

"We walked past here earlier, and there were some GI Joe-looking guys there protecting that door," said Dan Jay. "And we're like, 'Who could be in there?'"

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Jay noted that the security forces were dressed in military fatigues.

"Obviously on the street there was a lot going down," said Caitlin Probst, who works in a high-rise next door to the hotel. "When we started seeing all the Secret Service on the roof, we knew something was going on. They were just up there checking out the perimeter, brought the dogs up to sniff around a little bit."

A tent was also set up in the middle of the road to serve as a car drop-off point, and a covered walkway connected this area to a hotel entrance.

Inside the Hotel Monaco, staff declined to discuss the presidential visit, and an advance press representative from the White House did not confirm Biden's stay there.

However, the ongoing activities appeared to leave little room for doubt.

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President Biden to make first visit to Utah, speak on PACT Act

President Joe Biden will arrive in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Aug. 9 as part of a three-state tour leading up to midterms.

The presidential visit will be Biden’s first to Utah. It is anticipated that he will address the public about the Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxins Act on Thursday, Aug. 10 before attending a campaign event.

The PACT Act is a comprehensive bipartisan effort to improve benefits and services for toxic-exposed veterans and survivors — the most significant expansion in 30 years, according to the White House .

The act, named for Sergeant First Class and lung cancer victim Heath Robinson , will “address toxic exposures that have impacted veterans, as well as their families and caregivers, and provide them with the health care and benefits they have earned and deserve.”

The PACT Act cuts through red tape, ensuring more efficient decision-making for affected veterans. Veterans diagnosed with one of 23 specific conditions will no longer need to prove service connection to receive health care and disability compensation.

“The new process is evidence-based, transparent and allows VA to make faster policy decisions on crucial exposure issues,” the White House said.

Biden’s Aug. 10 Utah address marks the first anniversary of the act being signed.

Utah senators Mike Lee and Mitt Romney cast no votes on the bill as it passed through Congress last year. 

The Salt Lake City visit is the final leg of Biden’s trip to the West. 

“President Biden is delivering for America’s veterans and their families, and demonstrating that we can — and will — come together where we agree to get big things done for our country,” according to the White House.

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President Joe Biden to stop at Salt Lake City VA hospital in Utah visit

By harrison epstein - daily herald | aug 7, 2023.

President Joe Biden boards Air Force One upon departure Monday, Aug. 7, 2023, at Andrews Air Force Base, Md. Biden is en route to Arizona, New Mexico and Utah.

President Joe Biden is visiting the Beehive State this week to wrap up a three-day trip to the Southwest, after stops in Arizona and New Mexico. The White House announced new details of the presidential itinerary over the weekend.

Biden is expected to arrive in Salt Lake City on Wednesday and will visit a Veterans Affairs hospital in Salt Lake City on Thursday morning to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the PACT Act, legislation expanding benefits for veterans who were exposed to toxic burn pits.

According to previous reporting by the Deseret News , the president will then go to Park City for an evening fundraiser hosted by Kristi and John Cumming, founder of ski resort company Powdr, and Nancy and Mark Gilbert, the latter a former U.S. ambassador.

“We are thrilled to welcome President Biden to Utah next week as he tours the southwest and highlights the importance of the Inflation Reduction Act, which includes historic investments in fighting climate change and creating clean energy jobs in our state and across the nation,” Utah Democratic Party Chair Diane Lewis said in a July 31 statement.

Throughout his Southwest tour, Biden is expected to discuss the Inflation Reduction Act, climate change, clean energy and conservation, among other topics. The exact focus of his Utah stop has not yet been announced.

President Joe Biden speaks at Auburn Manufacturing Inc. in Auburn, Maine, on Friday, July 28, 2023, before he signs an executive order to encourage companies to manufacture new inventions in the United States.

Details of the visit have been scant since the trip was first announced July 31. It is the first visit to Utah for Biden as president and comes two years after First Lady Jill Biden stopped by a Salt Lake City elementary school . Joe Biden did, though, visit Utah in 2016 while serving as vice president, touring the Huntsman Cancer Institute.

The last time a sitting president visited Utah was in 2017 when then-President Donald Trump visited the Utah Capitol , signing proclamations to shrink the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments, and Welfare Square, touring the area with leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . Every president has visited Utah while in office since Herbert Hoover.

Biden earned a second-place finish in Utah’s Democratic Party primary in 2020 behind only Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont. Still, the former vice president went on to receive the nomination. In the general election, Trump easily won the state with 58.13% of votes. Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris’ 37.65% was the highest of any Democrat in Utah since Lyndon Johnson in 1964.

Biden’s second-largest vote share came in Utah County, picking up 76,033 votes (26.73%), behind only Salt Lake County. He was favored in Salt Lake, Summit and Grand counties.

The visit comes months after the president declared he would seek reelection in 2024. Two candidates seeking the Republican nomination for president have visited the Beehive State in the last year. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis spoke last month at the Utah Capitol, flanked by officials from around the state, and gave the keynote address for the Utah Republican Convention at Utah Valley University in April.

Former Vice President Mike Pence also spoke at UVU in September 2022 , opening the Gary R. Herbert Institute for Public Policy.

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Joe Biden is coming to Utah. Here’s what it takes to plan for a presidential visit to the Beehive State.

Two longtime utah politicos, who have done advance work for both republican and democratic presidents, explain the work it takes for an official visit to go smoothly..

(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Then-President Barack Obama exits Air Force One after landing at Hill Air Force Base, Thursday, April 2, 2015. President Joe Biden will visit Utah later this week.

When President Joe Biden lands in Utah this week , his schedule will be timed down to the minute. Where Biden goes, who he meets with, and the routes he will travel will be meticulously planned by advanced teams working with residents.

Utah will be the final stop in Biden’s three-state swing next week. Former Utah Senate Minority Leader Scott Howell is working with the White House to set Biden’s agenda when Air Force One lands on Thursday.

“They want a lot of input,” Howell said. “They want to know what people in Utah are concerned about. For me, it’s simple. The environment, the Great Salt Lake disappearing, air quality, will we have enough water to sustain growth.”

Those concerns should mesh nicely with the overall theme of Biden’s visit, which will highlight actions taken by his administration to fight climate change.

Howell says meeting with top leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints should also be high on the list for any president when they visit Salt Lake City.

“I’m not sitting down with his [Biden’s] team and saying they have to go there. But anyone with some savvy will recognize if you’re in Rome, you have to visit the pope,” Howell said.

(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Democratic vice presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., makes a brief "cultural stop" to This Is The Place Heritage Park with former state senator Scott Howell as a guide on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2020, as she arrives early to Salt Lake City in anticipation of her upcoming vice presidential debate next week.

The last sitting president to visit Utah and not meet with church leaders was Bill Clinton, who made two trips to Park City in 1998 and 1999 for a skiing vacation. Dwight D. Eisenhower’s brief stop in Utah in 1954 at the Four Corners region did not include a meeting with LDS Church officials.

Utah specific events

Howell did much of the advance work when then-Sen. Kamala Harris came to Utah in 2020 for the Vice Presidential debate against Mike Pence. Harris had hoped to meet with LDS Church officials, but that did not happen for several reasons, including a conflict with the semi-annual conference.

“I told her that we had church on Saturday and Sunday and several other meetings over the weekend. She told me, ‘Scott, you sure go to a lot of church.’ I had to explain it was a conference and we didn’t do this every week,” Howell said.

Including Biden’s upcoming trip, every American President has visited Utah while in office since Herbert Hoover in 1932. The last president to skip the Beehive State was Calvin Coolidge.

Utah GOP stalwart Ron Fox has done advance work for every Republican president since Richard Nixon. He says the preparations for a presidential visit start long before any outreach to local residents.

Official events happen after administrations set an agenda, Fox says, explaining that, “6

... The Biden administration, for example, is talking about inflation and reducing debt and environmental stuff.” Fox says presidential visits are usually coupled with a campaign event or fundraiser.

An advance team will spend time vetting potential venues for the president to visit, Fox says, along with vetting people they might meet with.

“One time, I did an event in Washington State, and they wanted to go to a horse arena. When I checked out that place, I discovered it was paid for by the mob. One guy who was a mobster, he was in prison, but his name was on the top of the building. I suggested they might change that,” Fox remembered with a chuckle.

Howell did much of the advance work when then-Sen. Kamala Harris came to Utah in 2020 for the Vice Presidential debate against Mike Pence. Harris did not want to stay in a hotel, so he looked for a Utahn willing to play host.

“I picked four places. All those families met with her team, and the Secret Service had to do a risk assessment at all their homes. Some passed, and there were concerns with others,” Howell said.

Last-minute stops

Even with all of the planning, there are some last-minute changes. In 1992, Fox said he was able to pull off having President George H. W. Bush attend a concert by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir with just two hours of notice. Fox recounts it started while having lunch with then-White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card in downtown Salt Lake City.

“He says, ‘I understand there’s a concert tonight with the Tabernacle Choir.’ It was the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus coming to the United States, and the choir was having a concert,” Fox said.

Card told him to go with a Secret Service agent to the Tabernacle and arrange for Bush to attend.

“I met with (then-choir president) Wendell Smoot, and I told him that the president was going to come to the concert. This was like two hours before the concert. He said, ‘No, he’s not.’ I replied that yes, he was,” Fox said.

(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Ron Fox in his Salt Lake City office Tuesday December 26, 2017. Fox collects historic photos and political memorabilia. In the early 1970s, he was at a Republican convention in California and got his program autographed by all the people speaking at the gathering. Richard Nixon signed it, and three others who signed his program went on to be president: Ronald Reagan, Gerald Ford and George H.W. Bush. He had to sell the program when his first child was born and used the money to buy a crib. The program recently came up at an auction and his daughters bought it for him.

Smoot insisted that Fox was mistaken because he had recently met with some of the church leadership who did not tell him about those plans.

‘I said that’s because the decision was just made. If you doubt me, this man next to me has a badge and a gun, and he’ll prove to you he’s a Secret Service agent,” Fox recounted.

Fox then went downstairs to where the choir members were preparing for the show to inform them of the evening’s high-profile attendee.

“I told them the President was coming, but they couldn’t call home or tell their friends or relatives it was happening. Church security knew about it, but nobody else knew,” Fox said. “When the announcer said the president was there, the crowd just erupted. It was really one of the most fun events I think I’ve ever done.”

Even with all of that planning, things can sometimes go awry. When President Barack Obama came to Hill Air Force Base in 2015, a miscommunication resulted in an employee of a solar power company unintentionally attending a small roundtable discussion with Obama . The employee believed he would be in the audience for a speech by the President but instead found himself at a table with Obama, members of Utah’s congressional delegation and other business leaders.

Handshakes and hurt feelings

Once the news of an upcoming visit gets out, it usually leads to a mad scramble by elected officials, community leaders and others to try and get some face time with the president or, at the very least, a handshake.

“All of a sudden, I’m everybody’s best friend,” Howell says. “Feelings can get hurt very fast if people think they should have a chance to meet someone and it doesn’t happen.”

Planning and executing a presidential visit is an intense pressure cooker for the team tasked with ensuring everything goes off without a hitch. Fox says staffers will operate at full speed from the moment they get off the plane until Air Force One lifts off again.

“Once it’s ‘wheels up,’ you get to relax, but everyone else doesn’t because they still have to go to the next place,” Fox said.

(Steve Griffin | The Salt Lake Tribune) Traveling media pool members catch up with President Barack Obama as he arrives at a solar panel field at Hill Air Force Base where he delivered a speech in Ogden, Friday, April 3, 2015.

Editor’s note • This story is available to Salt Lake Tribune subscribers only. Thank you for supporting local journalism.

Donate to the newsroom now. The Salt Lake Tribune, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) public charity and contributions are tax deductible

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Presidential Debate 2024

“To have the opportunity to host a U.S. presidential debate is a privilege, and we are thrilled to welcome the world back to the University of Utah. We cannot wait for our students, campus and city to play a role in this historic civic event.”

—Taylor Randall, President of the University of Utah

About the Event

The University of Utah has been selected to host the 2024 Presidential Debate on Oct. 9 at Kingsbury Hall, Nancy Peery Marriott Auditorium.

More information to come.

About the University of Utah

Located in Salt Lake City, the University of Utah is the state’s flagship research public institution. The U enrolls 35,000 students from more than 102 countries and is recognized for pioneering new programs with social impact; generating path-breaking discoveries; fueling critical research; and inspiring innovative approaches to education.

Founded in 1850, the University of Utah offers 72 major subjects at the undergraduate level and more than 90 major fields of study at the graduate level, including law and medicine, the university prepares students to live and compete in the global workplace. Known for its proximity to seven world-class ski resorts within 40 minutes of campus, the U encourages an active, holistic lifestyle, innovation and collaborative thinking to engage students, faculty and business leaders.

How to see Utah's "Mighty 5" national parks on an epic road trip

Jun 2, 2024 • 12 min read

Link up Utah's "Mighty 5" national parks with this epic driving route © Peter Unger / Getty Images

Utah might not have the most national parks of any state – that honor goes to California – but it certainly has the highest concentration.

All of Utah’s "Mighty 5"  are within easy driving distance of one another, meaning that the state is prime for an epic national parks road trip that you can even squeeze into a short amount of vacation time. With only a week to spare, it's possible to get to know the distinct personalities of each of the state's national parks.

Here's how to plan an unforgettable drive in Utah .

Where should you start a Utah national parks road trip?

You can tackle Utah’s national parks west to east or vice versa, depending on your starting destination. Going from west to east is generally the most popular option because Zion National Park is just a few hours from the international airport in Las Vegas . You could also start this road trip in Salt Lake City , heading for either Zion or Arches first.

Where should I rent a car for a Utah road trip?

If you’re flying in to visit Utah’s national parks, it’s easiest to rent a car at your arrival airport. After picking up the car, head to the grocery store to buy water, snacks and other supplies before you hit the road, especially if you’re looking for something specific. The gateway towns to Utah’s national parks are small, and their stores often don’t have as wide of a selection. 

When is the best time to drive between Utah's national parks?

Late spring and early fall are the best seasons for road tripping in Utah. Summer is a popular time, but that means more cars on the road and more hikers on the trails. Winter is great for solitude seekers, but make sure you have the know-how to drive on snowy roads and a backup plan in case of closures or worse. State highways in some areas might be shut down until May because of heavy snowfall, particularly in the high elevations around Brian Head, north of Zion National Park.

Stop 1: Zion National Park

The vibe: Awesome canyon and iconic hikes

What to do: Zion Canyon is one of the most intriguing natural wonders in the country, and it chalks up the visitor numbers to prove it. See what makes Zion so extraordinary by taking on the national park’s two iconic hikes: Angels Landing ( permit required ), a chain-assisted white-knuckle climb to a lofty narrow plateau, and the Narrows, where the trail is the Virgin River and you wade through the water as it churns through a towering slot canyon.

What to eat: In the heart of the canyon, the historic Zion Lodge has two places to eat: a small cafe and a full-fledged restaurant. The food isn’t particularly memorable, but the setting certainly is, and it’s the only place to eat inside the national park if you don’t bring your own supplies. Just outside Zion National Park’s south entrance, Zion Canyon Brew Pub was the first microbrewery in southern Utah and serves up pub grub that pairs perfectly with its beers. More restaurants, coffee shops and small grocery stores abound in Springdale, the gateway town hugging Zion’s south entrance.

Where to stay: Zion National Park has two in-park accommodation options: camping or Zion Lodge . You need to book months in advance to get a reservation for either. Springdale has lots of excellent places to stay. See if rooms are available at Under the Eaves Inn , Red Rock Inn or Desert Pearl Inn , or head a bit further from the canyon. In East Zion, Zion Ponderosa Ranch Resort is ideal for families, with tons of activities for all ages. To the west, AutoCamp Zion offers a hip stay in Airstream trailers, and Under Canvas has set up gorgeous luxury glamping tents on Kolob Terrace Road.

The drive (75 miles, 1 hour and 25 minutes): Leave Zion National Park through the east entrance, driving through the tight-squeeze Zion–Mt Carmel Tunnel, which was the longest tunnel in the country when it opened in 1930. Continue on Hwy 9 to Mt Carmel Junction and then head north on Hwy 89. Turn east on Scenic Byway 12, nationally recognized as an "All-American Road" for its history and landscapes. You get a taste of what’s in store at the next national park as you drive through redrock arches and past intriguing rock formations shaped like Crayola crayons – and colored just as brightly.

Want to know more about Zion? Here's our guide

Stop 2: Bryce Canyon National Park

The vibe: Alien rock formations

What to do: Bryce Canyon hides its treasures from view when you first enter the park, but as soon as you reach the rim of the plateau, an army of rock spires called hoodoos stands at attention in the bowl of the natural amphitheater. The paved road through the national park is sprinkled with scenic overlooks where you can stop and gawp at these mesmerizing formations. Inspiration Point and Rainbow Point are wow-worthy pull-off points. But getting in among the hoodoos is a must. Hike the Navajo Loop from Sunset Point, book a horse ride on Peekaboo Loop or find a quieter collection of hoodoos on the Fairyland Loop.

What to eat: Bryce Canyon is Utah’s only other national park (besides Zion) that has a historic lodge inside the park, which has a restaurant (don’t miss the elk chili). There’s also a park general store that sells pizza, craft beer, ice cream and snacks. Bryce Canyon City is just outside the national park gates, but the restaurants in the small town of Tropic, a short drive to the southeast, are better. Try the pulled pork at IDK Barbecue or have a classy white-tablecloth dinner at Stone Hearth Grille .

Where to stay: Book far in advance to snag a place to sleep inside the park, either a campsite or a room at Bryce Canyon Lodge . Bryce Canyon City has several options near the park entrance, but it’s worth driving a little further to Bryce Glamp & Camp , a scenic, secluded spot where you can watch the night sky from your bed in a bubble dome.

The drive (125 miles, 2 hours and 40 minutes): Continue on Scenic Byway 12, which gets even more beautiful as you crest the rollercoaster hills and sail down the switchbacks. Much of the surrounding land is part of Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument , which covers nearly 2 million acres. Tempting trailheads beckon, particularly around the towns of Escalante and Boulder – pull over and hike if you have time. Scenic Byway 12 ends at Hwy 24 near Torrey, the gateway town to Capitol Reef National Park.

First time in Bryce Canyon? Here's what you need to know

Stop 3: Capitol Reef National Park

The vibe: Hikes through history

What to do: Capitol Reef wears its past on its sleeve, and when hiking in this national park, you’re following in the footsteps of many generations past, from the little-understood Native Fremont people to Mormon settlers. Don’t miss the petroglyphs east of the Capitol Reef Visitor Center (accessible via a boardwalk) and on the hike through Capitol Gorge, where ancient Native rock art is carved a short distance from the Pioneer Register, recording the names and dates of 19th-century settlers who passed through this slot canyon. In the center of the park, Fruita was a Mormon settlement established in 1879 and is well known for its orchards, which the National Park Service still maintains. Pick up one of the famous fruit pies from Gifford Homestead , where Fruita's last inhabitants lived.

What to eat: Torrey is a short drive from the entrance to Capitol Reef National Park, and for such a small town, it has some impressive food options. At Torrey Grill & BBQ , a Culinary Institute of America graduate makes magic with smoked meats, while adorable Wild Rabbit Cafe serves phenomenal all-day breakfasts and sandwiches. Hunt & Gather is a surprising spot for fine dining, showcasing lovingly plated dishes of local ingredients.

Where to stay: Capitol Reef has one developed campground , as well as free primitive sites in the backcountry ( free backpacking permit required ). If you’d rather stay within four walls, try Torrey Schoolhouse B&B , a 1914 schoolhouse brought back to life as an elegant bed and breakfast. One of the best places to stay in Torrey is Skyview , which has rooms with hot tubs that look out on the redrock scenery, geodesic domes with skylights over the bed for nighttime stargazing, and a rooftop terrace.

The drive (155 miles, 2 hours and 30 minutes): Head east on Hwy 24, called the Capitol Reef Scenic Byway, which turns north at Hanksville. If you have time, detour west of Hwy 24 to Goblin Valley State Park to wander among its bizarre rock formations. On the east side of Hwy 24, Horseshoe Canyon is part of Canyonlands National Park and has one of the most significant Native rock art sites in North America – it’s nicknamed the "Louvre of the Southwest." The road to Horseshoe Canyon is not paved, and a high-clearance 4WD vehicle is recommended. When Hwy 24 comes to an end near Green River, join Interstate 70 east and carry on until the Moab turnoff at Hwy 191. Turn west on Hwy 313 to reach another area of Canyonlands National Park.

Hanging around in Capitol Reef? Here's what to do there

Stop 4: Canyonlands National Park: Island in the Sky district

The vibe: Epic views

What to do: Canyonlands is Utah’s largest and least-visited national park. Few travelers venture to its most remote areas (and those who do require suitable vehicles and self-sufficiency), and Canyonlands’ quieter nature can be a welcome break from Utah’s busier parks. It is divided into four districts, the most accessible of which is Island in the Sky, near Moab . This area stretches out atop a majestic mesa thousands of feet above the Colorado and Green Rivers, the powerful forces that sculpted this land into sheer canyons and needle-like pinnacles. The scenic drive through the Island in the Sky district dawdles past a number of overlooks. Get a 360-degree bird’s-eye view of the landscape from the humbly named Grand View Point where the paved road ends.

What to eat: Moab’s main street is lined with great restaurants where you can fuel up for a day out, and the town is just a 40-minute drive from the Island in the Sky Visitor Center. In the northern part of Moab, Proper Brewing has an excellent beer garden where you can kick back and enjoy a burger and a Utah-made brew.

Where to stay: The Island in the Sky district has one campground . More campsites on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land are scattered along Hwy 313, the main road into the national park, as well as along Hwy 128 and the Colorado River south of Arches National Park. For hotel accommodations, stay in Moab for an easy journey. Field Station is one of our top picks for location, price and adventure-seeking atmosphere, housed in a well-renovated roadside motel.

The drive (29 miles, 40 minutes): Canyonlands and Arches are about as close as two national parks can be, and it’s just a 30-minute drive from the Island in the Sky Visitor Center to Arches Visitor Center. If you can’t get enough of the views, take a detour to Dead Horse Point State Park for even more memorable vistas. Take Hwy 313 to Hwy 191 and drive south for a few miles to the turnoff for Arches National Park.

Want to see even more of Canyonlands? Here's what you need to know

Stop 5: Arches National Park

The vibe: Arches galore

What to do: The main draw of Arches is right in its name, and nowhere on Earth has more of this type of rock formation than this national park. Delicate Arch is the most iconic, enshrined on Utah’s license plates, and many more can be seen along the park’s main paved road on short hikes and from easy-to-reach viewpoints. At the end of the road, the Devils Garden Trail packs several arches into an easy or adventurous hike, depending on how far you want to go, including 306ft Landscape Arch, one of the longest in the world.

What to eat: There’s nowhere to eat inside Arches National Park, so bring in supplies from Moab or fuel up in town before or after a day of arch admiring. Find a variety of crowd-pleasing, budget-friendly options at Moab Food Truck Park or reserve a table at Desert Bistro , one of the best restaurants in this part of the state, for game and seafood in an 1892 former dance hall.

Where to stay: Arches has one campground inside the park (book far in advance), and campers can also find lots of sites on BLM land just outside the park boundaries. Otherwise, Moab makes for an excellent base camp, with plenty of hotels along its main street and beyond. Secluded south of town, ULUM Moab offers luxury glamping tents with views of its very own arch.

The drive: Round off your Utah national parks road trip by heading back to Salt Lake City (235 miles from Moab) or Las Vegas (460 miles from Moab). The fastest but least interesting way to get to Las Vegas is to take the interstates (I-70 north of Moab and then I-15 south), but if you have time, take the long road south from Moab, stopping at the Needles district of Canyonlands National Park, checking out film-famous Monument Valley on Navajo land and testing your luck by trying to get a permit for the Wave – one of the most sought-after hikes in the Southwest – in Kanab.

Need more info about Arches? Here's our guide for first-time visitors

Tips for EV drivers

Despite how remote some parts of the state are, Utah is an excellent place for an EV road trip, especially to the national parks. Some campgrounds and many hotels, including Zion Lodge inside the national park, have EV chargers for guests. Tesla has several Superchargers across the state, particularly along I-15 and I-70, including in St George (about 45 miles from Zion National Park’s south entrance), Green River and Moab (close to Arches and Canyonlands National Parks) and Blanding (about 70 miles from Canyonlands’ Needles district). 

A tricky stretch for EV drivers is the journey between Capitol Reef National Park and Moab. The Capitol Reef gateway town of Torrey has chargers, as does Green River, but you might need to be careful about how many places you explore in between.

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Nikki Haley to visit Utah next week ahead of Super Tuesday presidential caucus votes

By bridger beal-cvetko, ksl.com | updated - feb. 20, 2024 at 5:59 p.m. | posted - feb. 20, 2024 at 3:03 p.m., republican presidential candidate and former un ambassador nikki haley speaks with a supporter after a campaign event on monday, in sumter, s.c. haley will hold a rally in orem on feb. 28 ahead of utah's march 5 presidential caucus votes. (meg kinnard, associated press).

Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes

OREM — Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley will visit Utah next week, ahead of the state's GOP presidential preference poll during caucus meetings on Super Tuesday.

Haley plans to hold a rally at the Noorda Center for the Performing Arts on Utah Valley University's campus in Orem on the morning of Feb. 28. Haley's campaign did not release any additional details, but Justin Jones, the executive director of the Gary R. Herbert Institute on Public Policy, announced at a forum Tuesday that doors will open at 11:30 a.m. and the rally will start at 12:30 p.m.

The former governor of South Carolina and former ambassador to the United Nations is the last major remaining Republican challenger to former President Donald Trump, who holds the majority of delegates following wins in Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada.

Although Haley trails the former president in major primary polls, she said she will stay in the race during a Tuesday speech in Greenville, South Carolina.

"Some of you — perhaps a few of you in the media — came here today to see if I'm dropping out of the race," Haley said. "Well, I'm not. Far from it. And I'm here to tell you why. I'm running for president because we have a country to save. Since the start of my campaign, I've been focused on the real issues our country faces. The ones that determine whether America will thrive, or spiral out."

"These are the challenges I'm here to tackle," she said, referencing chaos at the southern border, the cost of groceries and "American weakness" she said has led to wars in Europe and the Middle East.

'We don't anoint kings': Defying Trump, Nikki Haley pledges to continue campaign

Utah Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson and First Lady Abby Cox endorsed Haley last month , in part due to her related strong polling compared to President Joe Biden, the leading Democratic candidate.

"We've been looking forward to Nikki Haley's visit to Utah," Henderson told KSL.com in a statement Tuesday. "I am excited to welcome her next week."

Haley's visit to Utah is part of an aggressive week of campaigning, which also includes visits to Michigan, Minnesota, Colorado, Virginia, North Carolina and Massachusetts.

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Utah sues TikTok again, this time alleging sexual exploitation of children

SALT LAKE CITY — The state of Utah has filed another lawsuit against social media giant TikTok. This time, the state is alleging the video app "created a virtual strip club" that allowed young people to be sexually exploited in exchange for money that TikTok takes a cut of.

The lawsuit, filed Monday by the Utah Division of Consumer Protection, alleges a live-streaming feature called TikTok LIVE would allow adult users to give a digital currency to younger users in exchange for sexual acts. TikTok, the state claims in the lawsuit, would take a commission on every transaction. In Utah, the state claims TikTok has made money from the exploitation of children, though the lawsuit itself redacts exactly how much.

"TikTok has created a virtual strip club allowing minors to be exploited across America by connecting innocent victims to predators in real time. Adding insult to injury, Live facilitates money laundering while TikTok quietly charges 50% on every transaction to profit in the billions from the entire enterprise," Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes said in a statement Monday announcing the lawsuit. “Our investigation confirmed TikTok knows of the damage to young victims but feels it makes far too much money to stop."

FOX 13 News first reported last year that during a court hearing, the state hinted it had additional investigations into TikTok . Utah Division of Consumer Protection director Katie Hass confirmed this lawsuit emerged out of those investigations.

"Now that we’ve been able to obtain that information from TikTok, not surprising they didn’t want to turn this information over to us, we are taking this action now," Hass said.

The state of Utah's new lawsuit also makes claims that TikTok LIVE's virtual currency could allow criminals to host illegal gambling, sell drugs and fund terrorist activities. The Utah Division of Consumer Protection claims TikTok is avoiding regulatory requirements to identify criminal behavior and protect users.

"I find the new allegations against TikTok Live not merely concerning but incredibly disturbing. Such disregard for the safety of young users on the platform, much less profiting off their exploitation, cannot and will not be tolerated," Governor Spencer Cox said in a statement. "We will take all necessary actions to protect them from TikTok’s egregious behavior."

In a statement to FOX 13 News, a spokesperson for TikTok denied the allegations and insisted measures were in place to protect children.

"TikTok has industry-leading policies and measures to help protect the safety and well-being of teens. Creators must be at least 18 years old before they can go LIVE, and their account must meet a follower requirement. We immediately revoke access to features if we find accounts that do not meet our age requirements," the company said.

This is the second lawsuit that has been filed against TikTok by the state of Utah . Last year, the state sued alleging TikTok designed an addictive app that has harmed the mental health of the state's youth. That case is currently being litigated in court. Utah has also been locked in a battle with TikTok over internal documents. The Utah Attorney General's Office repeatedly pushed a judge to hold the company in contempt , claiming TikTok was not complying with subpoenas (something TikTok lawyers vehemently denied). The judge ultimately pushed a compromise .

The governor and attorney general have had a long-running campaign against social media platforms, alleging that addictive algorithms and content served up to young people have contributed to mental health issues, including lack of sleep, bullying and body image.

The state of Utah is also suing Meta, the owners of Facebook and Instagram, accusing them of contributing to harm to the mental health of Utah youth .

The Utah State Legislature has passed bills seeking to regulate social platforms, including demanding they implement age-verification , reduce their algorithm reach, implement time restrictions and stop serving up ads to children. Some of the state's restrictions have prompted a coalition of tech companies to sue Utah, alleging violations of the First Amendment . The state is also being sued by content creators who allege the state's restrictions harm their free speech rights .

In response to those lawsuits? The legislature rewrote the laws again .

Read the lawsuit here:

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Sen. Mike Lee attends El Salvador president’s inauguration

S everal Republican lawmakers, including Utah Sen. Mike Lee, traveled to El Salvador Saturday to participate in President Nayib Bukele’s inauguration. Bukele is now serving a second five-year term.

The ceremony came a day after Trump was convicted in New York City on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in a criminal trial. Lee, who traveled to celebrate Bukele’s second term, in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, said, “I’m in El Salvador. To my knowledge, no public official here is trying to jail his political opponent.”

In another post, Lee said Bukele defeated Manuel Flores, his primary opponent, in the February presidential election with more than 80% of the vote. “To the best of my knowledge, Bukele made no attempt to imprison Flores,” he said, pushing back on the verdict against Trump.

Lee and his wife, Sharon Lee, were photographed in El Salvador with Donald Trump Jr., Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, former Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson and others. Gaetz later said it was an honor to attend the ceremony, adding that Bukele is “the most inspirational head of state in the Western Hemisphere by far.”

At the event, Lee took a selfie with Fox News reporter Sara A. Carter and her husband Martin Bailey, a retired Army veteran. Carter posted the photo and said no one made her and her husband laugh more than Lee. “Great senator and all around great guy,” she added.

That wasn’t the only selfie Lee took. In another photo post, capturing himself standing next to his wife and Bukele, Lee wrote, “Thank you, President Bukele, for a delightful afternoon and an engaging conversation.”

“Sharon and I enjoyed every minute of our time with you, and of our visit to your beautiful country.”

During his initial campaign for president, Bukele promised to end gang violence in a country considered one of the most dangerous in the world. He managed to crack down on criminal activity during his first term in office.

“We conquered fear, and today are truly a free nation,” Bukele said in a speech Saturday from the balcony of the National Palace after being sworn in.

The event, hosted in the capital city of San Salvador, included top foreign leaders like Spanish King Felipe VI and presidents Javier Milei of Argentina, Xiomara Castro of Honduras, Daniel Noboa of Ecuador, Santiago Peña of Paraguay and Rodrigo Chaves Robles of Costa Rica.

While former President Trump was not present, his son attended and posted a video of being escorted to the inauguration ceremony by the El Salvadorian police. “Pretty solid way to travel,” he said in the TikTok clip. “Just promoting those who support freedom around the world.”

Some journalists have compared Trump’s governing style and rhetoric with Bukele. Foreign Policy referred to Bukele as “El Salvador’s Trump” and the Jacobin called him “the Donald Trump of Central America.” While Trump had a formal meeting with the El Salvadorian president, President Joe Biden has so far not met with him.

As The Associated Press reported, the White House is trying to change this. Although Biden wasn’t at the inauguration, he sent Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and a high-level delegation. Their talks “focused on enhancing the rule-of-law to ensure sustainable security for Salvadorans, strengthening enforcement actions against narcotics trafficking, and advancing effective migration management,” according to a press release . Bukele and Mayorkas said the two countries will continue to work on “reducing irregular migration flows through increased enforcement and strengthened visa regimes.”

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Kenyan President’s State Visit: An Antidote to U.S. Troubles in Africa?

The White House is hosting President William Ruto of Kenya for a state dinner this week, an embrace that both countries urgently need.

By Declan Walsh

Reporting from Nairobi, Kenya

As other African nations move away from the United States, disillusioned with democracy or lured by rival powers, President William Ruto of Kenya arrives in Washington on Wednesday for a three-day state visit intended to showcase a stalwart American ally on the continent.

A spate of military coups , shaky elections and raging wars have upended Africa’s political landscape in the past year, giving an edge to American rivals like Russia and China, but also shredding Washington’s key selling point: that democracy delivers.

In Niger, a recently installed military junta has asked American troops to leave . Relations with once-firm American allies like South Africa and Ethiopia are decidedly cool. A recent election in Senegal , long considered a beacon of stability, nearly went off the rails .

Mr. Ruto, the Biden administration hopes, is the antidote to those troubles.

Since he came to power two years ago, Mr. Ruto, 57, has pulled Kenya, the economic powerhouse of East Africa, ever closer to the United States. His visit is just the sixth state visit hosted by the Biden administration, and the first for an African president since 2008.

In some respects, President Biden is atoning for a broken promise. At a high profile Africa summit in Washington in December 2022, Mr. Biden declared he was “all in” on Africa, and pledged to make a visit to the continent in the following year. The trip never materialized.

In choosing Mr. Ruto, the Biden administration is confirming that it views the Kenyan leader as one of its closest security, diplomatic and economic partners in Africa.

The two countries cooperate closely to fight militants with Al Shabab in Somalia. American corporate giants like Google have sizable operations in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, which is also a hub of diplomatic efforts to end the chaos in neighboring countries like Sudan, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Very soon, Kenya is expected to start deploying 1,000 paramilitary police officers to help quell unrest Haiti — a dangerous mission largely funded by the United States and one which runs significant political risks for Mr. Ruto if Kenyan personnel are injured or killed.

And Mr. Ruto has adroitly garnered American support for his outspoken advocacy on global issues like debt relief, reform of international financial institutions and climate change, on which he is attempting to carve out a reputation as Africa’s leading statesman.

“We live the nightmare of climate change every day,” he said in an interview with The New York Times on Sunday, hours before he flew to the United States. Nearly 300 Kenyans died in the past month as heavy rains lashed the country , causing floods that forced hundreds of thousands from their homes.

“A year ago we were deep in drought,” he said during the interview, speaking in an open pavilion next to State House, his official residence in Nairobi, as thunder rolled and more rain fell. “This is the case of many countries on the continent.”

It’s not many years since Mr. Ruto was considered part of the problem in Kenya. A decade ago he was on trial at the International Criminal Court , facing accusations of orchestrating post-election violence that left over 1,100 Kenyans dead. At the trial, his lawyer was Karim Khan, currently the court’s prosecutor. The United States backed the prosecution, seeing it as a chance to end impunity in Kenya’s political class.

But the trial collapsed in 2016, after witnesses disappeared or changed their testimony, and Mr. Ruto’s electoral triumphs eclipsed the trial at home: He was elected vice-president in 2013 and 2018, and then president in 2022.

“So much was said about who we were in that episode,” he said, referring also to former President Uhuru Kenyatta who faced similar charges. “But doesn’t it strike you that finally we were elected by the same people we were being accused of harming? That tells you the whole narrative was false.”

An American official, who requested anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media, said that Mr. Ruto had been privately urged to confront indirectly what was described as his “I.C.C. hangover” early into his visit. At his first speech on Monday, at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Museum and Library in Atlanta, he vowed to keep Kenya “on the path of an open society, strongly committed to greater accountability and transparency, with robust engagement of civil society.”

Mr. Ruto also needs the trip to succeed. As he has made about 50 foreign trips since 2022, gathering support for his ideas, his popularity at home has plunged. Faced with a crippling debt crisis — Kenya owes about $77 billion — Mr. Ruto introduced tax hikes that brought cries of protest from his citizens.

Some Kenyans call him “Zakayo,” in reference to the biblical tax collector Zacchaeus. The reference makes him smile. “I have been very candid with the people of Kenya that I cannot continue to borrow money,” he said, predicting he would eventually win over his critics.

Still, time is running short, and Mr. Ruto’s big idea for turning around the economy is to ride the wave of green energy. Over 90 percent of Kenya’s energy comes from renewable sources — mostly wind and geothermal springs — a natural advantage Mr. Ruto hopes to leverage to convert Kenya into an industrial powerhouse.

He wants foreign companies to move to Kenya, where their products would be carbon neutral. He is also selling Kenya as an enormous carbon sink, tapping into the nascent industry of sucking carbon from the atmosphere, then burying it deep in the rock formations of the Rift Valley.

“ How do we move Africa from a continent of potential to a continent of opportunity and finally to a continent of investment?” he said. Last month, Microsoft and two other firms announced they were building a 1 gigawatt data center, powered by renewable energy in Naivasha, 40 miles northwest of Nairobi.

Still, Mr. Ruto’s embrace of Washington and democracy are not universally popular in Africa. Disillusionment with sham elections and corrupt elites has fed young people’s support for recent military coups in countries like Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.

“There is a perception that democracy hasn’t delivered, that elites which had come to power through elections were not delivering,” said Murithi Mutiga, Africa director at International Crisis Group. Yet, he added, Kenya’s example of stability and steady growth proved that while democracy can be “messy, difficult, noisy and tough,” it still works.

Mr. Ruto is scheduled to spend much of Wednesday with members of Congress. On Thursday he lays a wreath at Arlington National Cemetery before meetings with Mr. Biden and a state dinner at the White House. The pomp and prestige is a major prize for a first-term president who, critics charge, has a strong authoritarian streak.

Last year Mr. Ruto launched public attacks on judges whose rulings obstructed his policies, reviving fears he could eventually take Kenya down an authoritarian route.

And like other African leaders, he is not afraid to play the field of foreign suitors.

Last year, to American dismay, Mr. Ruto hosted President Ebrahim Raisi of Iran, who was killed in a helicopter crash on Sunday, and foreign minister Sergei V. Lavrov of Russia. In October, Mr. Ruto flew to Beijing for a three-day state visit to China.

Mr. Ruto dismissed the suggestion that he is a darling of the West, or anyone else.

“This is not about taking sides,” he said. “It’s about interests. There’s absolutely no contradiction to working with different countries. It’s just common sense.”

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Kenyan president's visit: A snub, a state dinner and a major 'non-NATO' ally designation

Lawmaker calls it an 'affront to american diplomacy' for house speaker mike johnson to not invite president william ruto to give an address to a joint session of congress.

WASHINGTON — What's on the menu at the White House for visiting Kenyan President William Ruto: Smoked short ribs and buttered lobster. What's not on the menu: An invitation for the African leader to address a joint session of Congress.

That missing course has left many lawmakers fuming.

Even as President Joe Biden gets ready to treat Ruto and his wife, Rachel, to a sumptuous state dinner Thursday night, some fear the absence of an honor that has been accorded to all recent visiting heads of state could leave a bitter aftertaste.

Many prominent lawmakers are upset over House Speaker Mike Johnson's rejection of a joint meeting of Congress with Ruto, which was proposed by the House Committee on Foreign Affairs to "underscore the importance of the U.S-Kenya relationship." His office cited "scheduling" issues for the denial.

Ruto’s trip is the first state visit by a Kenyan president to the United States in two decades and the first by an African leader since 2008. The last African leader to address Congress was Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf who spoke in the House chamber in 2006.

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'Affront to American diplomacy'

In a letter to Johnson, Rep. Steven Horsford, chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, called the move an "affront to American diplomacy," adding that it was "especially troubling" given that other heads of state who have come to the U.S. for an official visit during the 118 th Congress have been invited to address Congress.

The letter, signed by more than 60 members of the Congressional Black Caucus, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, demanded that Ruto be "treated with the same respect granted to other heads of state."

Recent heads of state including Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kashida, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Israeli President Isaac Herzog, and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol have all addressed the joint session of Congress.

"Failing to invite President Ruto sends a dangerous message to the world," Horsford wrote. "About which countries the United States Congress deems worthy of addressing Congress and diminishes the importance of our nation’s relationship with the continent of Africa."

Lawmakers warn 'adversaries' are working to dent U.S. alliances

Asked about his decision, Johnson’s office sent a statement to USA TODAY saying "scheduling restraints" were the reason for the lack of invitation.

“We offered the Kenyan embassy over 90 minutes of engagement including a one-on-one visit with Speaker Johnson, bipartisan leadership meeting with Speaker Johnson, Leader Jeffries, and Committee Chairmen and Ranking Members, and a bicameral meeting,” the statement said of the meeting that took place on Wednesday.

Democratic Rep. Barbara Lee, along with other lawmakers, also wrote to Johnson pointing out how "adversaries" like China, Russia, and Iran were working to subvert America’s alliances, particularly in Africa.

The East African nation, which is getting ready to deploy its police force in Haiti as the Caribbean country deals with the ongoing gang crisis, is emerging as a vital African partner to the U.S. Johnson’s choice not to provide Ruto the opportunity to address Congress helps create an opening for autocratic adversaries to make inroads in African public opinion, lawmakers warned, adding: "The people of Kenya deserve more respect."

Ruto’s visit marks 60 years of official U.S.-Kenya partnership “founded on shared values, deep cooperation, and a common vision for the future,” according to the White House. Biden is also expected to inform Congress on Thursday that he intends to designate Kenya as a major “non-NATO Ally." It's a designation granted by the United States to countries with close and strategic working relationships with the U.S. military and defense civilians.

Among other partnerships the two countries will work on include global peace and security, economic development, human rights, and tackling the climate crisis.

The state dinner, a glamorous diplomatic tool, will set the stage for a “friendship that will endure, helping create a shining and prosperous tomorrow,” said first lady Jill Biden.

Roses and orchids

On Thursday night, guests will dine under the stars, in a pavilion made of glass and glowing with candles.

The décor for the evening reflects the first lady's love of candlelight which she favors to make guests feel as if they're at home, even when they're part of a large group, said Bryan Rafanelli, the event planner for the evening.

The space, saturated with warm pinks and reds, will be decorated with roses and orchids representing the United States and Kenya.

"As guests leave their path illuminated by our one moon," said Biden. "I hope they will be filled with the same warmth that I felt on my visits to Kenya.”

S wapna Venugopal Ramaswamy is a White House correspondent for USA TODAY.   You can follow her on X, formerly Twitter, @SwapnaVenugopal

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Dr. Mike Kennedy has diagnosed Washington, D.C., and is ready with a treatment

State sen. mike kennedy said he’s running for congress to heal america.

By Brigham Tomco

Editor’s note: This is the fifth in a series of articles looking at the Republican candidates for Utah’s open 3rd Congressional District seat.

The institutions of Washington, D.C., are sick, according to state Sen. Mike Kennedy. But the party-backed candidate for Utah’s 3rd District Republican primary claims the cure for Congress isn’t found in the shock therapy of partisan showdowns.

Kennedy, a practicing doctor and trained lawyer, is more likely to prescribe the attentive bedside manner and persuasive advocacy he says served him in the state legislature over the last decade. He believes building relationships, not bombastic rhetoric, is key to ending paralysis on issues like border security, national debt and inflation — and to healing the country.

But that doesn’t mean turning a blind eye to the extent of the nation’s ailments.

“We need to recognize there’s a problem,” Kennedy said. “And the problem is elected officials ... that are unresponsive to the daily needs of our citizens in the form of buying and spending on things that are unnecessary, creating inflationary trends.”

Having “diagnosed” the problem, Kennedy said the best way to “treat” it is to send the right kind of problem-solver back to Washington, D.C., to replace outgoing Rep. John Curtis.

“We need a coalition of people that are willing to actually make a difference and not be grandstanding and fundraising and disagreeable about that approach they’re going to take,” Kennedy said.

As a family physician with a practice in Lindon, Kennedy says he knows what it takes to heal the individual. And as a former malpractice attorney, Kennedy said he’s seen how the law helps heal society.

The two qualifications can come together at a higher level, Kennedy says, if Republicans in the 3rd District send the only sitting lawmaker in the race to represent them in Washington, D.C., to try “to heal that place.”

Kennedy: Reform wasteful programs to begin healing America

Fittingly, Kennedy said a healthier lifestyle for the federal government begins with health care reform. While the fights on Capitol Hill often center around the budget, they rarely touch the mandatory spending programs that contribute most to the country’s deficits, Kennedy said.

“I know Medicare and Medicaid and how there are — over and over again — systems that I see as either redundant or unnecessary that are costing our taxpayers billions of dollars,” Kennedy said. “If I can build that coalition that I keep talking about with my legislative colleagues, ... we can actually eliminate programs that don’t make any difference to the quality of care.”

One way Kennedy wants to improve Medicaid — government-provided health insurance for low income families — is to remove the incentive for states to grow Medicaid rolls while relying on the federal government to pick up additional costs. Instead, the state should be given funding through block grants for Medicaid that it will be more careful in distributing, Kennedy said.

“There are ways to full freight pay for the Medicaid needs, but then make the state use its innovative capacities to utilize Medicaid money in a more effective way,” Kennedy said.

Medicare, which provides health insurance to disabled individuals and those over 65, is rife with vendor programs that increase taxpayer costs without changing health care outcomes, Kennedy said. They do this by obtaining lists of Medicare recipients and offering them free, and “entirely unnecessary,” products that have been included in Medicare payment programs, according to Kennedy.

“That’s just one of many programs that are just the same way,” Kennedy said.

But Kennedy is no slash-and-burn libertarian.

He believes there is a place for smart government programs that “ Give a hand up, not a hand out .” For example, he thinks a better use of Medicare funds could be to incentivize elderly people to go to the gym and exercise instead of “passively buying” products that vendors provide.

“The reality is we can move the ball forward just gently on this stuff,” Kennedy said. “I’m not expecting cancer chemotherapy and surgical treatments immediately right away for everything. Some of this is incremental, and we have to approach it that way.”

Kennedy’s legislative track record

This incremental approach, and a willingness to “work with all sorts of people with different opinions,” handed Kennedy one of his most notable legislative achievements, he said.

In 2023, after several failed attempts, Kennedy successfully sponsored a bill that banned transgender surgeries and treatments for Utah children.

“That bill is a good example of a thoughtful civil process, working with all parties on both sides of a variety of complicated issues,” Kennedy said.

Three months after the bill passed, Kennedy’s home was vandalized in retaliation.

Kennedy was first elected to the state legislature as a House representative in 2012. He left to run for U.S. Senate against Mitt Romney, where he won at the GOP nominating convention before losing in the primary.

Kennedy returned in 2020 by winning a special election for Utah Senate, where he represents roughly 20% of the 3rd District’s population in northern Utah County, Kennedy said.

Now that he’s turned his eyes toward Congress again, Kennedy promises potential constituents that he’ll pursue creative solutions to the country’s most difficult issues. But he says he can’t promise he’ll find willing partners.

Where does Mike Kennedy stand on border security, Ukraine?

Many of his would-be congressional colleagues are too preoccupied with fundraising and winning reelection to recognize common ground on issues like immigration, Kennedy said.

The sustained chaos at the southern border demands a national security response, Kennedy said, and he thinks he could unite a majority of lawmakers around heightened fentanyl detection measures and a policy that automatically bars migrants from entering the U.S. if they are found “with a trace of fentanyl on them.”

On foreign policy, Kennedy is supportive of selling military resources to Ukraine or forcing Russia to pay for it by seizing their assets. But Kennedy draws a line at sending U.S. troops to the embattled ally.

His willingness to back Ukraine in its defensive war against Russian President Vladimir Putin comes from statements by legislative leadership with top-secret briefings saying that if the U.S. doesn’t support Ukraine, then Putin’s expansionist ambitions will require a much greater American response later on.

“I’m very concerned we may be at the beginning of World War III,” Kennedy said. “Brutal dictators should be hit heavily early on to prevent them from continuing to expand and making the problem worse.”

Convention winner

Kennedy is the only candidate on the 3rd District primary ballot that did not attempt to qualify via signature gathering. Instead, he advanced to the primary after talking with all the state delegates he could and winning their support in a landslide at the state GOP nominating convention on April 27 with 61.5% in the final round of voting.

The victory makes him the party-backed candidate and has brought “wind to the sails” because of access to party resources, money and volunteers, Kennedy said. The candidate also counts on endorsements from Utah’s top legislative leadership, Utah Senate President Stuart Adams, R-Layton, and Utah House Speaker Mike Schultz, R-Hooper.

Before the convention, Kennedy had raised more money than any of his competition, with over $341,000 in total contributions — not including a $156,000 loan he gave his campaign. But some of his opponents have invested much more of their personal wealth into the race.

Former Sky Zone CEO Case Lawrence has poured nearly $1.3 million of his money into his campaign, making him the biggest dollar candidate in the race, with Roosevelt Mayor JR Bird close behind with a $1 million loan.

Voters will decide between five candidates in the June 25 Republican primary election, that includes Kennedy, Lawerence, Bird, State Auditor John Dougall and commercial litigator Stewart Peay .

On Nov. 5, the Republican nominee will face off against Democratic candidate Glenn Wright.