Democrat Brian King sees an opening to win in deep red Utah

Estimated read time: 5-6 minutes

Editor's note: Brian King is running for Utah governor against Republican incumbent Spencer Cox. You can read about him here.

SALT LAKE CITY — Democratic gubernatorial candidate Brian King is just sitting down for a discussion with several students at Utah State University's creamery in Logan when a man taps him on the shoulder from behind.

"I hope you take Cox out," the man says.

King turns and is face-to-face with a man wearing a hat and shirt emblazoned with "Write in Phil Lyman," the conservative gubernatorial candidate who lost to Gov. Spencer Cox in the Republican primary. King laughs and says, "Thank you." The man gives him a thumbs-up as he leaves the building, ice cream cone in hand.

The cheerful interaction would feel out of place in almost any normal general election year, but 2024 has been anything but. Lyman's refusal to concede his primary loss to Cox and his unusual write-in campaign have made him and King strange bedfellows who see the other as a potential aid to their own electoral prospects.

King's campaign released an ad in August teaming up with Lyman, in which they ridiculed the governor's "Disagree Better" initiative and agreed "that Spencer Cox should not be our next governor." Some Lyman supporters have told KSL.com they're not worried that writing in Lyman could undermine the Republican governor because they would rather see King elected than have another four years of Cox.

King has expressed concern at Lyman's questioning of the election results but admits that the rogue Republican's efforts give him an opening not often available to Democrats running statewide in Utah. Driving through Logan's residential streets after marching in USU's homecoming parade in mid-October, King joked that he should offer "King for Governor" yard signs to residents with Lyman signs proudly displayed out front.

"People say, 'You can't win this election,'" King told supporters at a meet-and-greet later that afternoon. "Yes, we can. I've always thought we could, and these events in the last few weeks have made it abundantly clear to me: We can win this election. And we will."

Utah's political 'monopoly'

While the Lyman factor has been the most unusual aspect of the gubernatorial campaign, King isn't relying on Republican vote-splitting alone and has made clear that he believes his overall message is one that will resonate with Utahns. He often refers to Utah's Legislature — which is controlled by a Republican supermajority — as a "monopoly." Just as business monopolies stifle innovation and competition, he argues, single-party control of the state government stifles good policy.

"Monopoly on power is no better in the political context than it is in market economies," he said. "Monopolies hurt consumers in the economic context and monopolies on political power and policy-making hurt citizens of the state ... in which that monopoly exists."

King is no stranger to this dynamic, as a state representative who served for several years as the leader of the House Democratic caucus — a role he says is better described as the "House superminority leader." His campaign, in many ways, is being waged against his Republican colleagues in the Legislature, with King arguing he would be a check on the majority's more controversial efforts.

Even if lawmakers muster enough support to enact their agenda in spite of gubernatorial vetoes or other pushback, King said as governor he would seek to use the bully pulpit to urge moderation. While King has passed his fair share of bills during his time as a lawmaker, he's also proud of the minorities' efforts he says have "stopped some bad bills from happening."

As governor, he may struggle to enact everything on his agenda, but he can try to stop what he says are some of the more extreme elements of his opponents. King directs this message to moderate and centrist Republicans, hoping he can convince enough of them to branch out politically.

"If you're tired of politics, if you're frustrated by them ... if you'd quietly hope that Donald Trump would not be the nominee ... if you want someone ... in that position as governor, if you want a balance of power, if you want bipartisanship rather than unchecked power, we have got something for you."

Swimming upstream

As an attorney who helps clients sue insurance companies over rejected claims, King said he is used to being the underdog. Although internal campaign polling shows Lyman eating up a significant chunk of Cox's support, a recent nonpartisan poll is less sanguine about King's chances, giving Cox a 49% to 23% lead.

King has compared his approach to Avis Car Rental's old corporate motto, "We Try Harder." The phrase was popularized when the rental company trailed Hertz as the largest in the country.

"We're No. 2, we try hard," King said, of being in the minority party in the state.

But the long odds haven't dampened the spirits of King and core members of his campaign — including his running mate Rebekah Cummings, and his wife, Ann.

Cummings, like King, is gregarious and upbeat, which is why the pair insisted on attending the homecoming parade in Logan to hand out taffy and cardboard crowns — reminiscent of the ones given out at Burger King restaurants — even if some of the more analytically-driven campaign staffers are dubious about the event's ability to change minds.

King shrugs and says he is happy to lean into the good vibes whenever he can. So he, his wife and Cummings race up and down both sides of Logan's Main Street, tossing candy to kids and offering high fives and reminders to vote.

While waiting for the parade to start in the seemingly endless row of floats, marching bands and cheerleaders, a volunteer shows the team a video of hundreds of Chinook salmon swimming upstream to spawn.

"That's us!" Cummings exclaims. "I can relate to that. We're Democrats running for office in Utah, we're always swimming upstream."

Election Day is Nov. 5. Mail-in ballots must be postmarked the day prior to Election Day in order to count. In-person voting locations and hours are available on your local county clerk's website or at vote.utah.gov. Voters have until Friday at 5 p.m. to register to vote in the general election.

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Bridger Beal-Cvetko

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Bridger Beal-Cvetko is a reporter for KSL.com. He covers politics, Salt Lake County communities and breaking news. Bridger has worked for the Deseret News and graduated from Utah Valley University.