How to Sound Smart About Utah Politics – May 1, 2014

2016 GOP Nomination Race Wide Open

New Washington Post-ABC News poll shows top five prospective GOP presidential candidates within four percentage points of one another. Several other prospective candidates aren’t far behind (Washington Post)

Countdown:

  • 55 days until Utah’s 2014 primary elections
  • 186 days to the 2014 midterm elections
  • 270 days to the start of the 2015 Utah Legislature
  • 550 days to the 2015 elections
  • 615 days until the 2016 Iowa Caucuses
  • 921 days to the 2016 presidential election

Today’s Utah political news highlights:

  • PETA wants roadside memorial for hundreds of turkeys that died in a trucking accident at Deer Creek Reservoir (Tribune).
  • Sen. Mike Lee urges conservatives to fight “crony capitalism” in speech to the Heritage Foundation (Deseret News).
  • BLM is moving faster to round up wild horses in southwestern Utah (Tribune).
  • According to the American Lung Association, Salt Lake’s winter inversions causing unhealthy spikes in air pollution is the 8th worst short-term particle pollution in the nation (Deseret News) (Tribune).
  • Editorial: Law Day offers opportunity to gauge progress in our respect for the rule of law and civil rights (Deseret News).
  • Opinion: Incarceration accounts for only 25 percent of crime rate reduction, but U.S. incarcerates too many people at too high a cost (Deseret News). 
  • Two environmental groups are suing the National Park Service for allowing cattle to graze in Capitol Reef National Park (Tribune). 
  • Dan Liljenquist: Secretary of State John Kerry undermines U.S. friendship with Israel (Deseret News).
  • Salt Lake City Council has a lot of questions about Mayor Becker’s proposed downtown streetcar circulator (Tribune).
  • Rep. David Lifferth ignites Twitter firestorm with comments about NAACP and Don Sterling (Deseret News ) (Tribune).
  • Opinion: Utah Supreme Court Chief Justice Matthew Durrant describes the judicial selection process and retention elections (Tribune).