Spencer Cox (politician)

Cox was raised in Sanpete County; he graduated from North Sanpete High School. He enrolled at Snow College and completed a mission to Mexico for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints while he was a student. During that time, he also married his high school sweetheart, Abby, who also graduated from Snow College. After graduating with an associate's degree, he attended Utah State University (USU), where he obtained his bachelor's degree in political science and Abby obtained her degree in special education.[4] At USU, Cox was named Student of the Year and graduated with a 4.0 grade point average. Accepted to Harvard Law School, Cox instead enrolled at the Washington and Lee University School of Law, where he received his Juris Doctor.[4][5]

On May 14, 2019, after Gov. Herbert announced that he would not seek re-election the following year, Cox announced his intent to seek the Republican nomination for Governor of Utah in 2020.[14] Cox won the Republican primary election with 36.4% of the vote, while former Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. received 34.6%.[15] Cox defeated Chris Peterson, the Democratic Party nominee, in the November general election.[16] In a break with tradition, Cox's January 4, 2021 inauguration (complete with precautions against the COVID-19 pandemic) was held at the Tuacahn Center for the Arts in Ivins, Utah, a small town in Washington County. The stated purpose of this move was to express Cox's desire to be governor for the entire state as opposed to focusing on the Wasatch Front region.[17]

In October 2015, Cox endorsed Marco Rubio for the Republican Party nomination in the 2016 presidential primary.[18] After Rubio withdrew, Cox endorsed Ted Cruz in March 2016.[19] Of Donald Trump, the front-runner, Cox said: "We care a lot about decorum. We care about our neighbors. We are a good, kind people. He does not represent neither goodness nor kindness."[20] He said he would not support Trump if he wins the Republican nomination: "I think he's disingenuous. I think he's dangerous. I think he represents the worst of what our great country stands for... I won't vote for Hillary, but I won't vote for Trump, either."[21]

On June 13, 2016, Cox spoke at a vigil in Salt Lake City honoring those who died in the Orlando nightclub shooting the day before. He surprised many when he apologized for mistreating schoolmates and his lack of support for the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community.[22][23] He aimed part of his speech at the "straight community":[24]

How did you feel when you heard that 49 people had been gunned down by a self-proclaimed terrorist? That’s the easy question. Here is the hard one: Did that feeling change when you found out the shooting was at a gay bar at 2 a.m. in the morning? If that feeling changed, then we are doing something wrong.

Cox is the oldest of eight children and grew up on a farm in Fairview.[4] He and his wife, Abby, have four children, and reside on their family farm in Fairview.[5] Cox's father, Eddie, served on the Utah Transportation Commission and was also a Sanpete County commissioner.[9]

Cox plays bass guitar in a garage band.[7][9] His brother-in-law, Travis Osmond, the son of Merrill Osmond, taught him how to play the bass.[25] State Representative Mike McKell is also a brother-in-law.[4] Cox's fourth cousin, Jon Cox, succeeded him in the Utah House of Representatives.[26]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Spencer Cox.

• Lt. Governor Spencer J. Cox government website
• Campaign website
• Spencer Cox at Ballotpedia

• Profile at Vote Smart