On the same day prosecutors filed criminal charges against him, Rep. Trevor Lee resigned his position in the Utah House of Representatives. In this episode, host Jason Perry leads a discussion about the political ramifications in both Davis County and beyond. Plus, election season officially kicks off with the first of several congressional debates.
THE DEEPER DIVE:
• The Utah Debate Commission is traveling the state presenting debates for Utah's four congressional races. In the First District, Democrat Ben McAdams and Republican Riley Owen faced off at Salt Lake Community College in Salt Lake City. The two candidates appeared to cater to the political center with their rhetoric. Our expert panel breaks down how McAdams and Owen spoke to voters about economic issues like high gas prices, among other issues.
• ️ In the Third District, incumbent Republican Celeste Maloy is facing Democrat Kent Udell in the election. Spanning from St. George in the south to Park City in the north, CD3 is unique both as the geographically largest district in Utah, but also as one of the top 10 largest in the country. We explore the political dynamics at play in this race and in the debate between the candidates.
• ⚖️ On the state level, Utah Rep. Trevor Lee resigned from the House of Representatives this week on the same day the Attorney General's Office filed felony fraud charges against him. Lee lost his primary election earlier this year amid allegations of impropriety. The investigation into those claims led to this criminal case. Our panelists discuss the political implications to both Lee's successor, and to his mother, Susan Lee, who is in the middle of her own election bid, running for a seat on the Davis County Commission.
• In November, Utah voters will decide whether to approve two different amendments to the state constitution. Amendment A would change the requirements for announcing and publicizing proposed constitutional amendments in the future. Proponents say this change brings the rules into the 21st century when newspapers are less prevalent. But others question whether this model would allow enough notice for voters to fully understand proposed changes.
• Amendment B would require ballot initiatives that create or increase taxes to receive 60% support from voters. Our panel discusses how this would have impacted multiple initiatives passed by Utah voters back in the 2018 election cycle.
• New polling evaluates how Utah voters are feeling ahead of the 2026 election. We dig into the numbers, examining how Republicans, Democrats, and Independents feel about the economy, social issues, and the election itself.
️ FEATURING:
• Rep. Neil Walter – (R) St. George, Utah House of Representatives
• Mary Weaver Bennett – Director, Leavitt Center for Politics and Public Service at Southern Utah University
• Shawn Guzman – Political Expert and Former St. George City Attorney
Funding for The Hinckley Report is made possible in part by the Cleone Peterson Eccles Endowment Fund and by the financial contributions of PBS Utah members. If you would like to support the work we do, please visit https://pbsutah.org/supporthinckley
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