There was a time not too long ago when candidates for the United States presidency promised that, if elected, they would work to unite the country. In the current era of hyperpoliticization, the two candidates for the highest office in the land seem only to offer further division. This is regrettable, but not inevitable and not unchangeable. We believe Utah offers a model for a better way forward.
What is often referred to as the “Utah Way” is based on a spirit of cooperation and collaboration. This approach is not unique to Utah, but it certainly sets our state apart and makes it special. It is not a new phenomenon, as the settling of Utah created a distinct culture founded on a combination of Western rugged individualism and a strong sense of community building born of necessity for survival in the high mountain desert.
This ethos is not just part of our past; it informs our present and guides our future. When we consider the greatest risk to the continuation of Utah’s current era of prosperity, we can’t help but worry about losing what makes our state strong — the principles of individual liberty, free enterprise, fiscal responsibility, rule of law and moral leadership. These are the principles upon which our organization, the RR PAC, is built, with a mission to support local and state candidates who champion these same values.
Our members are community and business leaders, including our three founders, Gov. Gary Herbert, Chamber President Derek Miller and former White House Fellow Lew Cramer. Our members include public sector leaders like Becky Edwards, Rich McKeown and Natalie Gochnour. We represent private enterprise with business leaders like Mel Lavitt, Ally Isom and our current chair, Charlie Freedman. We come from different backgrounds and offer diverse perspectives, with a common cause to support the election of pragmatic problem solvers.
We believe in the big tent espoused by President Ronald Reagan. Our current political division is best solved by following Reagan’s sound counsel that “the person who agrees with you 80% of the time is a friend and an ally — not a 20% traitor.” Our state and our country need more people who think and act this way.
This is why we are endorsing and supporting a slate of candidates in the upcoming legislative races that espouse and extol the virtues embodied by our 40th president. Those candidates include Daniela Harding, Mike Bird, Chad Westover, Todd Weiler, Emily Lockhart, Ray Ward, David Parke, Scott Cuthbertson, Wayne Harper and Don Ipson.
Reagan believed in the United States as the “City on a Hill.” That flame still burns bright in Utah, and with the right state and local leaders, Utah will set an example for other states to follow and help reignite the light across our beloved country.
Charlie Freedman is the chair of RR PAC, which is also referenced as the “Reagan Roundtable.”