Screenshot of the King campaign ad
Gubernatorial candidates Brian King (Democrat) and Phil Lyman (Republican running a write-in campaign) appear in a joint commercial against Utah Governor Spencer Cox.
Had gubernatorial candidate Phil Lyman achieved his goal of running as a Republican in the general election, he would have officially run against Democratic candidate Brian King in November.
But after losing the primary and the election was challenged in court, Lyman appeared alongside King in a new commercial reminiscent of Governor Spencer Cox’s “Disagree Better” campaign.
Between winks and cheeky remarks, including a description of Lyman as a “former (or current, depending on who you ask) GOP candidate for governor of Utah, *litigation pending*,” the two contenders made it clear that they disagree on policies related to public lands, school curriculum, reproductive rights, electoral processes and the role of government.
However, they said they agreed on one point.
“Spencer Cox should not be our next governor,” they said in unison in the ad.
King and Lyman are both in the final stretch of their terms in the Utah House of Representatives, having given up those positions to run for president. The ad promotes King’s campaign in a state that votes predominantly red and hasn’t had a Democratic governor since 1985.
King hopes that a “coalition of Utah pragmatists who crave change – Democrats, independents and Republicans alike” will bring about change this year.
“Unfortunately, the Spencer Cox who served in the governor’s office for the last four years is not the Spencer Cox who was elected in 2020. No matter which side of the aisle you are on, Cox has proven himself to be unreliable, unprincipled and untrustworthy,” King wrote in a statement released with the video. “On this point, Phil and I agree.”
Although Lyman is a Republican, he has been a vocal critic of Cox, most recently unsuccessfully asking the Utah Supreme Court to overturn the results of the Republican primary, make him the Republican nominee based on his votes at the convention, and remove Cox from office for the remainder of his term. In a press release from the King campaign, Lyman condemned Cox’s leadership.
“Utah needs leaders of unwavering character – those who will tackle challenges head-on and have direct, honest conversations to move our state forward,” Lyman said. “Although Rep. King and I don’t agree on everything, I have sat with him in the House for years and witnessed his unwavering commitment to his principles and the causes he believes in.”
Despite his unexpected appearance alongside King, Lyman continued to promote a write-in campaign on his social media accounts, confirming that he is serious about his pursuit of the governorship.
“This ad is to confirm my seriousness. I am running as an off-the-record candidate because I believe Utahns deserve one conservative choice, not two Democrats,” Lyman wrote on X.
The ad sparked a stir on social media. After the King campaign posted on X, some Democrats praised the ad while Republicans criticized Lyman’s involvement.
In response to the ad, the Cox campaign did not mention Lyman by name and appeared to be reaching out to the state’s Republicans about what it would mean to have King as governor. The choice, said Matt Lusty, a spokesman for the Cox campaign, was between “Utah values or California-style liberal policy positions.”
“Brian King is ranked each year as one of the most liberal members of the Utah Legislature. He has sponsored bills that dramatically increase taxes and limit the Second Amendment rights of Utahns,” Lusty said in a statement. “Losing is tough, but encouraging others to vote for someone who believes in Gavin Newsom-style government is the wrong solution for Utah.”
Utah News Dispatch is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news source covering government, politics and the issues that most impact the lives of Utahns.
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