⏰ Tick Tock
Days until the court-mandated deadline for lawmakers to submit new congressional maps (9/25/2025) - 13
Days until Election Day (11/4/2025) - 53
Days to the start of the 2026 Utah Legislature (1/20/2026) - 130
Days until the 2026 midterm elections (11/3/2026) - 417
Days until the 2028 presidential election (11/7/2028) - 1,152
Charlie Kirk suspect in custody
As I was preparing to send this newsletter, news broke that a suspect was in custody in the murder of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk.
There is reporting this morning that the alleged suspect may have confessed to his father.
The suspect in the murder of Charlie Kirk confessed to his father that he was the shooter. His father told authorities and secured his son until they could arrive to pick him up— Sources tell @evanperez @HBRabinowitz @HolmesLybrand— Kristen Holmes (@KristenhCNN) September 12, 2025
Yesterday I spoke with Kristofer Goldsmith, an expert on extremism and disinformation, about what the killing of Charlie Kirk means for our already fractured political environment. He said it's important to focus on fostering in-person community relationships.
"I think that folks should focus on the local. The local doesn't come from the White House or Congress. Fascism grows in your backyard. It is a grassroots movement, so if you want to control it, you need to control it where you have control."
If you haven't yet, I'd recommend you take a listen.
Friday morning's headlines:
Utah and the West
Vice President JD Vance departs Salt Lake City, taking Charlie Kirk's body home to Arizona. [KSL]
Years before Kirk shooting, concerns about security at Utah Valley University. [Fox 13]
A Utah GOP lawmaker wants a memorial to Charlie Kirk built on UVU's campus. [Salt Lake Tribune]
Utah Valley University reviewing emergency alert system after deadly Charlie Kirk shooting. [KUTV]
Legislatur eurges Supreme Court to halt redrawing of U.S. House maps in bid that could bypass 2026 elections. [Salt Lake Tribune]
Nation
America enters a new age of political violence. [Washington Post]
Senate Majority Leader John Thune says Democrats want a government shutdown. [Punchbowl News]
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer readying to fight for health care in government funding battle. [Washington Post]
Florida officials watching for "vile, sanctionable" behavior from teachers after Kirk killing. [Politico]
World
Trump's push for the Nobel Peace Prize won't sway us, says committee. [South China Morning Post]
Economy
U.S. initial jobless claims jump to highest in almost four years. [Bloomberg]
Gold surpasses inflation-adjusted record high set in 1980. [Bloomberg]
Healthcare
For the first time, more children are obese than underweight. [New York Times]