Republican Utah Governor Spencer Cox sparked controversy on Saturday when he expressed doubts about the GOP’s chances for success if former President Trump were to secure the GOP nomination in 2024. Speaking at the Braver Angels convention in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, Cox voiced concern over the possibility of Trump once again becoming the party’s nominee.
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox urged his party on Sunday to "turn the page" on the former president in a quest to nominate a GOP presidential candidate "who can win." https://t.co/MLzXr7jrcs
— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) July 9, 2023
During his speech, Cox drew attention to the lack of enthusiasm for the current frontrunners among both Republicans and Democrats.
“Sixty percent of Republicans do not want the current frontrunner for president. Seventy percent of Democrats don’t want the current frontrunner for President. A supermajority of Americans do not want the two current frontrunners for the presidential nomination,” he stated.
“We are sleepwalking towards the most dreaded election of our lifetime,” he added.
When pressed by The Daily Caller for clarification on his position regarding Trump, Cox chose not to speculate on “future possibilities,” emphasizing the importance of focusing on the present.
“Well look, I never play in future possibilities. That’s bad politics. But what I will tell you is that I’m willing to work with President Trump,” he stated.
This isn’t the first time Cox has avoided committing to supporting Trump’s potential 2024 nomination. In a recent appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” he expressed doubt about Trump’s ability to help the GOP achieve the presidential win.
“I believe in governors. I believe we have an opportunity. I believe that we lost the House, the Senate, the presidency with President Trump,” Cox stated, highlighting his preference for successful governors who have a proven track record.
Cox reiterated his preference for governors in an interview with CBS Face the Nation host Margaret Brennan, highlighting their practical experience.
“I like governors. I think governors are great. I think governors have real experience,” he stated, expressing his hope that one of them could challenge Trump in the primaries.
The Utah governor went on to emphasize the value of governors’ ability to accomplish tangible results, stating, “The great thing about governors is we actually have to get stuff done, right? We can’t just do the performance thing.”
Currently, the only prominent challenger to Trump in the GOP primary race is Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who announced his presidential bid in May. Another contender currently holding a governorship position is North Dakota’s Doug Burgum, who announced his candidacy last month.
Aside from the current governors, the Republican presidential race includes former governors such as former Vice President Mike Pence, who served as Indiana’s governor from 2013 to 2017, Nikki Haley, the first female governor of South Carolina from 2001 to 2017, Chris Christie, who governed New Jersey from 2010 to 2018, and Asa Hutchinson, who held the position of Arkansas governor from 2015 to 2023.
