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Situational awareness - April 9, 2019 Good Tuesday morning from Salt Lake City. Here's what is driving the day: - Some Davis County Republicans seek to end party infighting.
- "Political Insiders" pick Spencer Cox as 2020 gubernatorial frontrunner.
- As we reported last week, Jon Huntsman may return to Utah to run for governor in 2020.
- Elizabeth Warren is coming to Utah for a campaign event.
- Trump ousts top leadership in the Department of Homeland Security.
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TICK TOCK Today is the 99th day of the year. There are 266 days remaining in 2019. 11 days to the Utah Libertarian Party state convention (4/20/2019) 25 days to the Utah State Republican Party Organizing Convention (5/4/2019) 25 days to the United Utah Party state convention (5/4/2019) 55 days until the municipal election filing period opens (6/3/2019) 59 days until the municipal election filing period ends (6/7/2019) 74 days to the Utah State Democratic Party Organizing Convention (6/22/2019) 78 days to the first Democratic presidential primary debates in Miami (6/26/2019) 112 days to the second Democratic presidential primary debates in Detroit (7/30/2019) 126 days to the 2019 Utah primary elections (8/13/2019) 210 days to the 2019 municipal elections (11/5/2019) 293 days to the first day of the 2020 Utah Legislature (1/27/2020) 301 days to the 2020 Iowa Caucuses (2/3/2020) 329 days to the 2020 Utah presidential primary (3/3/2020) 570 days until the 2020 presidential election (11/3/2020)
Today At Utah Policy  Slate of GOP candidates in Davis County aiming to put an end to Republican party strife
By Bob Bernick, Contributing Editor
While delegates in some Wasatch Front Republican Party county conventions may have to guess which candidates for their State Central Committee slots are Gang of 51 members and which seek to put the internal party strife behind them, not so in this Saturday's Davis County Convention.
 Straw poll: Insiders say Cox is favorite to be Utah's next governor
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
Our UtahPolicy.com "Political Insiders" and readers expect Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox to be elected governor in 2020 according to our latest straw poll.
 Hughes wins 2019 political bracket faceoff
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
Former Speaker Greg Hughes is the winner of our 2019 political bracket faceoff, handily defeating current House Majority Whip Mike Schultz.
 Utah community builder: 5 for the Fight
By Salt Lake Chamber
In 2002 Scott Smith, a Brigham Young University marketing professor, began tinkering with a technology project in his basement. He wanted an online survey research tool that was sophisticated enough for doctoral students while also user-friendly enough for undergraduate students to use. His basement project grew into Qualtrics and by any measure, it has been extremely successful. In 2018, the company sold for $8 billion.
OTHER UTAH HEADLINES Deseret News Salt Lake Tribune
NATIONAL HEADLINES Trump purges Homeland Security leadership. A day after Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen was forced to resign, President Donald Trump ousted several top officials at DHS, including the head of the Secret Service - https://wapo.st/2FYEIOb - Republicans in Congress are alarmed by Trump's ouster of top DHS officials - https://politi.co/2G4HeTn
- White House advisor Stephen Miller is the driving force behind the DHS purge. He would leak information about the number of migrants crossing the border to the right-wing Washington Examiner, then show the resulting articles to President Trump in order to put pressure on former secretary Nielsen - http://bit.ly/2FYQB70
Trump tried to close the border at El Paso and told border agents to ignore federal law to keep migrants out. Within recent weeks, Trump attempted to close the border at El Paso before relenting. Additionally, he told border security agents to not let migrants in the country and lie to judges about it - https://cnn.it/2FZL9AE
Family separation policy may return. The house cleaning at DHS may signal the Trump administration is preparing to crack down on immigration, including a return of the controversial family separation policy - https://nyti.ms/2G4JSIr
A federal judge blocked a Trump administration policy forcing asylum seekers to remain in Mexico. The judge said the policy forcing asylum seekers to stay in Mexico until they get a court hearing likely violates federal law - https://wapo.st/2GcSihl
Democrats get a crack at Barr on Tuesday. Congressional Democrats are expected to press Attorney General William Barr about special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation during an appropriations committee hearing - https://politi.co/2G4Dj91
Another Democrat jumps in. Congressman Eric Swalwell announces he's exploring a 2020 presidential bid - http://bit.ly/2G4GaPn
Voters in Israel head to the polls today. Current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is fighting for his political survival - https://wapo.st/2FZyoGr
Trump administration labels Iran's Revolutionary Guard a foreign terrorist group. It's the first time the U.S. has labeled part of another nation's government as that type of official threat - https://nyti.ms/2G07QVy
White House ends MLB's agreement with Cuba. The Trump administration scuttled Major League Baseball's deal allowing Cuban baseball players to play in America, saying the policy violates U.S. trade laws - https://es.pn/2G00BwH
390 billion tons of glaciers melt every year. A new study says global warming is behind the melting - http://bit.ly/2G08D8Y
ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY 1585 - The expedition organized by Sir Walter Raleigh departs England for Roanoke Island (now in North Carolina) to establish the Roanoke Colony. 1682 - Robert Cavelier de La Salle discovers the mouth of the Mississippi River, claims it for France and names it Louisiana. 1865 - Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee surrendered to Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grant at the Appomattox Court House in Virginia, bringing the Civil War to a close. 1866 - Congress passed the Civil Rights Bill of 1866, which granted African Americans the rights and privileges of U.S. citizenship and formed the basis for the 14th Amendment. 1959 - NASA announces the selection of the United States' first seven astronauts, whom the news media quickly dub the "Mercury Seven." 1965 - The Astrodome opens. First indoor baseball game is played. 2003 - Baghdad falls to American forces.
Policy News Treasurer Damschen announces $54.8 million new lost property now online for claimUtah State Treasurer David Damschen announced that the Utah Unclaimed Property Division received more than $54.8 million in lost property at the end of 2018. This property comes from sources, such as dormant bank accounts, uncashed checks, safe deposit box contents and unpaid insurance benefits.
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