Utah
Republican lawmaker contests Utah’s election process in fight to upend governor – Washington Examiner
A Utah state representative is challenging Gov. Spencer Cox (R-UT) in the state’s Supreme Court after losing his primary race to the Republican governor.
Republican Phil Lyman filed a lawsuit requesting the state’s highest court to “annul the June 25, 2024, primary election” and rename himself as the Utah Republican Party nominee for governor.
During the Utah Republican Party Nominating Convention in April, Lyman secured more than 60% of the delegate vote, earning him a spot on the GOP’s gubernatorial primary ballot.
Cox also met the state’s qualifications to appear on the primary ballot, albeit through a different process. There are several pathways for a candidate to put their name on the ballot in Utah, according to state law SB54.
Both a party caucus, which was the route Lyman took, and a signature gathering initiative, which Cox selected, are viable options for candidates to gain access to primary ballots. The incumbent governor collected the necessary 28,000 signatures from registered Republicans, legally assuring him a place on the ballot.
The two Republicans went on to duel during the primary election, where Lyman suffered a crushing defeat to Cox. In June, the governor handily won the election 58% to 42%.
More than a month later, Lyman’s challenge to the election results alleges the Utah Republican Party’s “internal process” should have enabled him to skip the primary election, due to his strong performance during the nominating convention. His lawsuit requests the court to designate all candidates who received 60% of the party’s caucus vote as the nominee on the general election ballot.
“Although SB54 created two paths to the Primary election, it did not change the internal procedures of the party that if a single candidate achieves over 60% of the caucus vote, that candidate is certified to the state for placement on the general election ballot, and no primary is held for that office,” wrote Lyman.
Other Republicans in the western state disagree with their colleague’s assessment that internal party rules take precedence over state law.
State Sen. Todd Weiler and Utah GOP Chairman Rob Axson told Deseret News they believe party documents have less power than state authority.
“The Republican Party last fall told the Utah elections office, ‘We’re going to participate in the 2024 election as a QPP, qualified political party,’ which means we’ll accept signature candidates and convention candidates,” Weiler said.
Meanwhile, Axson said that unless there is a court decision to the contrary, “The rules, the bylaws, the Constitution, the foundational documents of that organization, practice and even just out of habit or tradition, all of those things are superseded by state law, which itself is superseded by federal law.”
In response to the representative’s actions, the Cox campaign argued that Lyman’s “dangerous” lawsuit undermined the democratic electoral process.
“Rep. Lyman’s attempt to undo a democratic election rather than honor the will of the people is not just sad, but dangerous,” Matt Lusty, a Cox campaign spokesman, said.
“It’s the kind of action you see in a banana republic and not the United States of America,” Lusty said. “Half the candidates in the primary election lost. In our proud American tradition, almost all of them did so with grace and poise. We encourage Mr. Lyman and his camp to do the same.”
Lyman pushed back against criticism in a social media post announcing the lawsuit on Friday.
“Spencer Cox and Deidre Henderson knowingly and unconstitutionally forced multiple Republican convention winners to go to an illegitimate primary, a most severe form of election fraud that harmed not only the candidates via the substantial money spent, but also harmed Utah Republican voters who were mislead to believe this fake primary was a part of the nomination process,” Lyman said in a post to X.
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He added that “he is not at odds with the party and does not want this action to be seen as unfriendly toward the Utah GOP.”
The Washington Examiner reached out to the Lyman and Cox campaigns for comment.
Utah
Golden Knights vs. Mammoth Game 1 prediction: NHL odds, picks, best bets for Stanley Cup Playoffs
The Utah Mammoth is going to be a trendy underdog pick in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Not only does Utah have the novelty of this being its first-ever appearance in the postseason going for it, but the Mammoth tick plenty of other boxes that punters look for in a dark horse. They’re fast, dynamic, and create plenty of quality scoring chances.
The only problem is that they are running into the Vegas Golden Knights, arguably the best defensive team in the Western Conference, in Round 1.
Vegas is a -170 favorite to win the series, and it is -152 to win Game 1 on Sunday night.
Mammoth vs. Golden Knights odds, prediction
The Golden Knights had a weird season. Vegas started hot, took its foot off the pedal, and struggled to regain its form down the stretch. That led to a surprising coaching switch late in the campaign, but the move paid immediate dividends as John Tortorella led the Knights to a 7-0-1 record in his eight games behind the bench.
It should be noted that Tortorella benefited from an easy schedule since taking over in Vegas, but it’s hard to deny that the team looks sparked with a new voice in their ear.
What’s especially encouraging for Vegas is that its most glaring weakness, the play of goaltender Carter Hart, has started to trend in the right direction at the exact right time.
And Vegas is so good in its own zone that Hart doesn’t need to stand on his head to get the team over the line against Utah. If he’s just average, the Knights will stand a chance, especially since Utah’s goaltending situation is just as much of a question mark.
Betting on the NHL?
Outside of Vejmelka outplaying Hart, the Mammoth will also need to get this series on their terms if they want to pull the upset. Utah grades out as a slightly above-average defensive outfit, but its strength is up front with dynamic playmakers like Logan Cooley and Clayton Keller, plus sharp-shooter Dylan Guenther.
For those stars to have an impact, the Mammoth will need to get Vegas to open up and engage in a back-and-forth style. I just don’t see that happening with a team that was so disciplined in its own zone all season. The Knights led the NHL in expected goals against and high-danger chances conceded at 5-on-5, which shouldn’t be a shocker given the personnel in Sin City.
Not only does Vegas boast a deep blueline, but forwards Mitch Marner and Mark Stone are regarded as two of the best defensive minds in the entire sport.
Perhaps Utah can blitz Vegas and pull the upset, but I’d need a bigger number to go against the experienced, defensively savvy Knights in a best-of-7.
And if you’re looking for a play with more upside, have a good look at Vegas to pull off the sweep at 12/1.
The Play: Vegas moneyline (-152) | Vegas to sweep the series (12/1, FanDuel)
Why Trust New York Post Betting
Michael Leboff is a long-suffering Islanders fan, but a long-profiting sports bettor with 10 years of experience in the gambling industry. He loves using game theory to help punters win bracket pools, find long shots, and learn how to beat the market in mainstream and niche sports.
KANOSH, Utah — The United States Geological Survey recorded multiple earthquakes near Kanosh Sunday morning, each of them having an average magnitude of 3.0.
The first earthquake, magnitude 3.0, was detected just after 12:30 a.m., with the epicenter located half a mile south of Kanarraville.
The second quake, magnitude 3.2, was detected around 5:45 a.m., with the epicenter nearly five miles south-southwest of Kanosh. This was followed by two more quakes in the same area, a magnitude 2.5 quake coming in around 6:35 a.m., followed by a third around 7:45 a.m, which measured at magnitude 3.3.
This has since been followed by another quake, measuring at magnitude 3.7, being detected around 8:45 a.m. The geographic location in the USGS report places the epicenter approximately over two miles south of the Dry Wash Trail, about six miles south-southwest of Kanosh.
FOX 13 News previously spoke with researchers at University of Utah, who said that earthquake swarms are relatively common. A study published in 2023 posits that swarms may be triggered by geothermal activity. The findings came after a series of seismic swarms were detected in central Utah, within the vicinity of three geothermal power plants.
The study also says that the swarms fall into a different category than aftershocks that typically follow large quakes, such as the magnitude 5.7 earthquake that hit the Wasatch Fault back in 2020.
Utah
Embattled Utah Rep. Trevor Lee loses county GOP convention — but wins enough support to make primary
Earlier in the week, House Speaker Mike Schultz said lawmakers asked the attorney general to investigate allegations of fraud and bribery against Lee.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Rep. Trevor Lee, R-Layton, running for reelection, addresses delegates during the Davis County Republican Party nominating convention at Syracuse High School on Saturday, April 18, 2026.
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