Brigham Tomco
The investment to secure the 'cultural soul' of Salt Lake City before it welcomes the world
Brigham Tomco, Deseret News | Posted May 4 - 6:29 a.m.
Utah leaders from across the political spectrum have united this year to create the Pioneer Trail, which aims to keep Salt Lake City rooted in the state's unique pioneer values.
Why America's biggest companies gave up the fight against Utah's app store law protecting kids
Brigham Tomco, Deseret News | Posted April 29 - 10:00 a.m.
One of the largest technology groups in the country backed off from challenging Utah's age verification requirement for app stores last week.
Mike Lee threatens to 'nuke' filibuster over stalled SAVE America Act
Brigham Tomco, Deseret News | Posted April 25 - 6:28 p.m.
Sen. Mike Lee called for an end to the Senate filibuster on Saturday if rules are not changed to require in-person Democrat opposition to stop a vote on his SAVE America Act.
How Rep. Mike Kennedy plans to reinstill confidence in a broken branch of government
Brigham Tomco, Deseret News | Posted April 25 - 1:01 p.m.
The lesson Rep. Mike Kennedy delivered to Republican delegates ahead of Saturday's convention appeared to contradict recent surveys and multiple weeks of messy scandals.
Redistricting reshapes the battlefield as Maloy, Lyman spar over how to rebuild trust in Congress
Brigham Tomco, Deseret News | Posted April 24 - 6:02 p.m.
Rep. Celeste Maloy learned on the job how to balance a workhorse mentality with the chaos of running for election. Now she's facing off with one of the state's well-known conservative disruptors.
Inside the low-profile race that could reveal the future of the Utah GOP
Brigham Tomco, Deseret News | Posted April 22 - 10:32 p.m.
Republican activist Kai Schwemmer said he plans to run for the Utah GOP treasurer position as part of his goal to enter elected office and eventually represent the state in Congress.
Utah's massive voter data shift
Brigham Tomco, Deseret News | Posted April 13 - 9:30 p.m.
Thousands of Utah voters received a letter in the mail last week explaining that their voter registration data will soon be publicly available unless they qualify as an "at-risk" voter.
Rep. Kennedy: Congress should adopt Utah's 'sandbox' approach to policy
Brigham Tomco, Deseret News | Posted April 9 - 3:18 p.m.
Utah Rep. Mike Kennedy wants to export the state's pioneering approach to artificial intelligence to Washington, D.C., in a bid to break a bipartisan stalemate over an AI framework.
International group critiques Utah transgender review cited by congressional Democrats
Brigham Tomco, Deseret News | Posted April 5 - 9:03 a.m.
An international group released a report on Thursday critiquing a Utah review of youth transgender treatments, though the review has largely been ignored by state lawmakers.
Burgess Owens and Mike Kennedy question alliances as Trump threatens NATO over Iran
Brigham Tomco, Deseret News | Posted April 3 - 1:15 p.m.
Reps. Burgess Owens and Mike Kennedy criticized European allies on Thursday for not supporting President Donald Trump in the war against Iran.
From forgotten to found: The human fix behind Utah's new homeless strategy
Brigham Tomco, Deseret News | Posted March 27 - 8:05 a.m.
The resource that lifted Lanny Outcalt out of homelessness wasn't a shelter bed. It was a familiar face.
Utah governor's book 'Off Ramp' to be released near anniversary of Charlie Kirk assassination
Brigham Tomco, Deseret News | Posted March 21 - 2:49 p.m.
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox's first book, "Off Ramp: How to be a Peacemaker in an Age of Contempt," will be available on Sep. 8.
During visit to Utah, party chair says state could help Democrats win House majority
Brigham Tomco, Deseret News | Posted March 18 - 6:51 a.m.
The head of the national Democratic Party said Utah has emerged as an important foothold to help Democrats flip Congress blue in the 2026 midterm elections.
Utah Democrats test limits of progressive politics in new blue district. Is this what voters want?
Brigham Tomco, Deseret News | Posted March 16 - 12:48 p.m.
Most Democratic candidates for Utah's new — and very blue — 1st Congressional District participated in a town hall on Monday where they unanimously accused Israel of genocide, endorsed transgender treatments for minors and called for abolishing ICE.
New poll: How Utah is navigating the great American confidence collapse
Brigham Tomco, Deseret News | Posted March 14 - 7:23 p.m.
A decadeslong trend of falling confidence in government institutions shows no signs of slowing as economic uncertainty, elite failure and technological changes fuel suspicion toward officials.
Prop 4 repeal effort on path to ballot, boosted by new signature removal law
Brigham Tomco, Deseret News | Posted March 12 - 7:40 a.m.
The law at the center of Utah's redistricting chaos is on track to appear on the November ballot so voters can decide who should have the final say over electoral boundaries: lawmakers or the courts.
Safe seats, fierce primaries: Utah's new map could push GOP contests further right
Brigham Tomco, Deseret News | Posted March 10 - 12:00 p.m.
A new court-ordered congressional district map has already transformed the landscape of Utah primary elections, pushing out one Republican incumbent.
Utah ties for No. 1 in protecting kids from Big Tech
Brigham Tomco, Deseret News | Posted March 9 - 8:32 a.m.
Utah ranked as one of two national leaders in a new analysis of policies meant to promote child wellbeing by regulating social media use for minors, restricting technology in the classroom and endorsing child independence.
Here are the biggest spending and tax cuts approved by the Utah Legislature this year
Brigham Tomco, Deseret News | Posted March 5 - 11:02 a.m.
Utah lawmakers voted to cut $275 million from state programs and to return $123 million back to voters on Wednesday as part of an effort to make life more affordable by making government more efficient.
Utah lawmakers plan to fund governor's homelessness overhaul — if cities, counties pay up
Brigham Tomco, Deseret News | Posted March 3 - 8:05 a.m.
Utah legislative leadership carved out $43.6 million to pay for Gov. Spencer Cox's pivot toward targeting criminality within the chronic homeless population.
Utah election reforms on collision course in final week of 2026 session
Brigham Tomco, Deseret News | Posted March 2 - 9:57 a.m.
Utah lawmakers pushed forward two different kinds of election reforms this week that appear on track for a collision during the final seven days of the 2026 legislative session.
Gov. Cox's 'Disagree Better' brand tested by White House wins and Democratic losses
Brigham Tomco, Deseret News | Posted Feb. 26 - 6:15 a.m.
Cox remains popular but polarizing in the state of Utah even as he gains popularity for his message on the national stage, a new Deseret News/Hinckley Institute of Politics poll found.
GOP group sues to block Better Boundaries signature removals in Utah Prop 4 repeal fight
Brigham Tomco, Deseret News | Posted Feb. 24 - 7:11 p.m.
The Republican group running an initiative to repeal Utah's redistricting law sued state election officers on Monday to stop clerks from counting a significant share of signature removal requests.
Utah redistricting repeal nears threshold as poll finds voters undecided
Brigham Tomco, Deseret News | Posted Feb. 24 - 7:15 a.m.
The past month of Utah redistricting chaos has left voters as uncertain as ever about the fate of Proposition 4, according to a new Deseret News/Hinckley Institute of Politics poll.
