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Situational awareness - April 3, 2019 Good Wednesday morning from Salt Lake City. Here's what is driving the day: - Former Utah GOP Chair Thomas Wright is mulling a run for governor in 2020.
- McAdams joins GOP-led effort to force a vote on an anti-abortion bill.
- Gov. Gary Herbert signs the long-awaited hate crimes bill into law.
- Trump reverses course on releasing the Mueller report.
Political bracket "Sweet 16: The next four matchups in our "Sweet 16" are live. Check out the brackets here.
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TICK TOCK Today is the 93rd day of the year. There are 272 days remaining in 2019. 17 days to the Utah Libertarian Party state convention (4/20/2019) 31 days to the Utah State Republican Party Organizing Convention (5/4/2019) 31 days to the United Utah Party state convention (5/4/2019) 61 days until the municipal election filing period opens (6/3/2019) 65 days until the municipal election filing period ends (6/7/2019) 80 days to the Utah State Democratic Party Organizing Convention (6/22/2019) 84 days to the first Democratic presidential primary debates in Miami (6/26/2019) 118 days to the second Democratic presidential primary debates in Detroit (7/30/2019) 132 days to the 2019 Utah primary elections (8/13/2019) 216 days to the 2019 municipal elections (11/5/2019) 299 days to the first day of the 2020 Utah Legislature (1/27/2020) 307 days to the 2020 Iowa Caucuses (2/3/2020) 335 days to the 2020 Utah presidential primary (3/3/2020) 576 days until the 2020 presidential election (11/3/2020)
Today At Utah Policy  Governor candidate + GOP unity? Here's a guy who might pursue both
By LaVarr Webb, Publisher
Is it possible that the far-right and mainstream factions of the Utah Republican Party could come together to elect Republican candidates and work together in at least semi-unity?
 2019 political bracket face-off "Elite Eight"
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
We're down to the "Elite Eight" in our 2019 political bracket face-off. We have four matchups for you today, with the winners moving to the Final Four.
 McAdams joins GOP-led effort to force a vote on anti-abortion bill
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
Rep. Ben McAdams was one of three House Democrats who joined a GOP-led effort to force a vote on an anti-abortion bill.
 Not a good look - Bernick and Schott on politics
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
It's time to break down the latest Utah political news with veteran political journalists Bob Bernick and Bryan Schott.
Tuesday's political bracket face-off winners
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
Our "Elite Eight" is set after Tuesday's voting. Results are below:
 Herbert signs hate crimes bill
By Bob Bernick, Contributing Editor
With song, thanks of joy, and promises of better days ahead for all Utahns, the state's new anti-hate crimes bill was signed by Gov. Gary Herbert in a standing-room-only ceremony in the Capitol's Rotunda Tuesday afternoon.
 Sean Reyes hires Mia Love's former communications director Richard Piatt
By Bob Bernick, Contributing Editor
Will GOP Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes run for governor next year?So far, no real clue on that one.
 UtahPolicy.com straw poll: Who will be Utah's next governor?
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
Who do you think has the best chance to win the 2020 Utah gubernatorial race? Vote now in this week's straw poll.
OTHER UTAH HEADLINES Deseret News Salt Lake Tribune Other
NATIONAL HEADLINES Trump is backpedaling hard on releasing the Mueller report. Last week President Donald Trump said he would support the release of special counsel Robert Mueller's report on Russian interference in the 2016 election. This week he reversed course, saying calls to release the full report are "somewhat of a waste of time" and "a disgrace" - http://bit.ly/2UameEm
Trump backs off healthcare push. President Trump has abandoned plans to introduce a Republican replacement for the Affordable Care Act after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told him the Senate would not vote on such a bill before the 2020 election. Instead, Trump promised a GOP replacement would come after he is re-elected - https://nyti.ms/2FLU9cI
Closing the border with Mexico would have a "catastrophic" impact. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell pushed back against President Donald Trump's threat to close the southern border, saying shutting down the border is not the solution to the crisis - https://politi.co/2FQSbI5 - The White House is exploring options to minimize the economic impact if Trump follows through with his threat to close the border with Mexico - https://wapo.st/2FLQHi1
Democrats approve subpoena in White House security clearance investigation. The House Oversight Committee voted to issue subpoenas as part of their investigation into the granting of security clearances for at least 25 White House staffers who were initially rejected - https://politi.co/2FLypgZ
What is happening? A woman with Chinese passports was arrested for illegally entering President Trump's Mar-a-Lago club in Florida. The woman was carrying a thumb drive with malware on it, and told the Secret Service she was hoping to meet with members of the Trump family - https://wapo.st/2UbY3FO
Sanders flush with campaign cash. 2020 Democratic hopeful Sen. Bernie Sanders raised more than $18 million in the first fundraising quarter, giving him $28 million cash on hand - http://bit.ly/2FYzvWX
The FDA is looking into regulating CBD. The Food and Drug Administration will hold a public hearing next month to discuss a possible regulatory framework for the use of CBD products - https://cnn.it/2FKTcRU
ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY 1860 - The first successful Pony Express run from St. Joseph, Missouri, to Sacramento, California, begins. 1865 - Union forces capture Richmond, Virginia, the capital of the Confederate States of America. 1882 - Robert Ford kills Jesse James. 1895 - The trial in the libel case brought by Oscar Wilde begins, eventually resulting in his imprisonment on charges of homosexuality. 1922 - Joseph Stalin becomes the first General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. 1948 - President Harry Truman signs the Marshall Plan, authorizing $5 billion in aid for 16 countries. 1955 - The ACLU announces it will defend Alan Ginsberg's book Howl against obscenity charges. 1968 - Martin Luther King Jr. delivers his "I've Been to the Mountaintop" speech. 1996 - Suspected "Unabomber" Theodore Kaczynski is captured at his Montana cabin. 2008 - Texas law enforcement cordons off the FLDS's YFZ Ranch. Eventually, 533 women and children will be taken into state custody. 2010 - Apple released the first generation iPad.
Policy News League of Women Voters supports ranked choice votingThe League of Women Voters of Utah encourages municipalities to participate in the Municipal Alternate Voting Methods Pilot Project approved by the Utah Legislature in 2018. The pilot project presents an opportunity for municipalities not only to save money by eliminating the need for a primary election, but also to elect officials with broad support from the electorate.
 April 3 is the last day to apply for the Governor-led trade mission to EuropeOn behalf of Governor Gary R. Herbert, World Trade Center Utah and the Governor's Office of Economic Development, we would like to invite you to join the State of Utah's trade mission to Switzerland, France and Italy in June 2019. This trade mission will also be incorporated with the Paris Air Show!
Utah Treasurer invites Utah women to attend first annual financial empowerment conferenceTreasurer David Damschen announced that Utah's first annual women's financial empowerment conference will be held on April 22 at the Sheraton Salt Lake Hotel. Conference attendees will learn how to improve personal and family finances, maximize income, reduce debt, improve credit, start a business, save for retirement and develop a financial support network to build a more secure financial future.
More National Headlines
Measure of a Man
"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." Martin Luther King, Jr.
Mueller Madness
"Poor Sarah Sanders, she has to constantly defend nonsense and now she's finally got a chance to fire back and this is how she does it, with a wacky Mueller Madness bracket. As the president would say, Sad!" Jimmy Kimmel Subscribers may receive special messages with information about new features, special offers, or public policy messages from clients and advertisers. Advertise With Us | 
