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SALT LAKE CITY — Utah Gov. Spencer Cox appeared on NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday in a joint interview with the Democratic governor of New Jersey, Phil Murphy. He talked about bipartisanship, signing a bill banning transgender surgeries for children and who he wants to see run for president.
President Joe Biden met with members of the National Governors Association at the White House on Friday, a bipartisan group of governors that includes Cox and Murphy.
The two governors joined Chuck Todd for an interview Sunday where they emphasized the need for bipartisanship.
Cox on bipartisanship
"We passionately disagree, and we're best friends," Cox said about his friendship with Murphy before describing the "extremes" on the left and the right that have left an "exhausted majority" in the middle.
"Let's stop fighting about the stuff that doesn't matter and actually get to work," Cox said.
Following the interview, Murphy tweeted that Cox "has become a close friend even though we come from different parties."
"You don't have to agree on everything to work across the aisle for the American people," he continued. "Congress can learn a few lessons from our nation's governors."
Governor Murphy and I disagree passionately on several issues—and we care deeply for each other as friends. America needs relearn how to disagree. Healthy conflict is very different than what we see too often now. I'm grateful for his leadership as chair of the @NatlGovsAssochttps://t.co/ZjrMUhQTqy
— Spencer Cox (@SpencerJCox) February 12, 2023
Cox responded in a tweet, saying, "Governor Murphy and I disagree passionately on several issues — and we care deeply for each other as friends. America needs (to) relearn how to disagree."
Cox on transgender surgeries for minors
During the interview, Cox was also asked about his recent signing of SB16, a bill banning transgender surgeries for Utah children and teens, according to the Deseret News.
"It's not just about providing care or not providing care, it's about whether we might potentially be harming young people, not having enough evidence to see what the long-term results of this are and providing better psychiatric help for those young people who are going through this," Cox said.
The governor also noted that transgender rights "has become such a toxic issue that it's hard to have a rational conversation around it."
"I fully admit, there are people on my side of the aisle that are targeting — that do not have their best interests at heart, right?" Cox said, per The Hill.
"I think there are people on the left that are promoting these things who also don't have the best interests of some of these kids at heart, and I think we should be able to sit down (and have) rational conversations."
Cox on who he wants to run for president
When asked who he wants to see run for president in his party, Cox stated, "I prefer governors."
Murphy joked that he would like to see Cox run for president, but Cox emphasized that he was running for reelection in Utah.
Cox stated he would pick a governor "every day of the week."
