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📰 Above the fold
On Sunday, the Washington Post cast Utah Gov. Spencer Cox as a potential “not‑quite MAGA” contender for 2028, pointing to a recent bump in his national profile, following the killing of right-wing podcaster Charlie Kirk in September.
Here’s the problem: Cox is misaligned with the GOP base, Utah is a weak launchpad for a national run, and his civility brand doesn’t sell in Republican primaries.
Since Donald Trump’s 2015 escalator moment, Republicans and the press have hunted for an alternative. Cox is the latest shiny object.
The Post’s analysis ignores the fact that MAGA voters in Utah don’t trust him. He’s tried to straddle the line between supporting Trump while wagging his finger at Trump’s policies and personal behavior that he disagreed with. Just like those Republicans who came before him, Cox eventually capitulated.
Last summer, Cox endorsed Trump after sitting out in 2016 and 2020. The move looked calculated and, among Utah’s Trump loyalists, insincere.
Another factor working against Cox? Utah is not an ideal launching pad for a presidential campaign.
After the success of the 2002 Winter Olympics, Mitt Romney could probably have been crowned emperor of Utah. Instead, he was savvy enough to understand that Utah was too small of an arena to help him realize his presidential ambitions. That was one of several reasons he decamped for Massachusetts to pursue that state’s governorship.
Cox’s signature initiative, “Disagree Better,” reinforces his brand as a likable technocrat who favors compromise over combat. Jon Huntsman ran a similar play in 2012—promising the high road—and lost.
“I don’t think you need to run down someone’s reputation in order to run for the office of President,” Huntsman told PBS after joining the 2012 race.
Cox may enjoy the mention, but he won’t enjoy the company. The Post’s list lumps him in with former Ambassador Nikki Haley and former Vice President Mike Pence, some of the most hated villains of the MAGA universe. That’s not the bucket that wins GOP presidential primaries.