The first week of the Utah Legislature, along with the State of the State, has passed. Domestic and foreign politics are also active. So it is time to revisit how Utahns feel about their officials and why.
A Deseret News/Hinckley Institute of Politics poll indicates that half of Utahns trust their elected officials some of the time (10% never do). Almost 60% trust what Gov. Spencer Cox says compared to 49% for President Donald Trump. What does this reveal?
Cowley: Politicians, simply by being politicians, don’t normally garner a significant amount of trust. Gov. Cox breaks the mold with an impressively high rating (five points higher than generic politicians), but Trump’s lower, more polarized numbers signal something else.
Gov. Cox’s level of trust mirrors his approval rating, meaning a majority of voters not only trust what he says but also agree with him. That is a powerful combination that Utah’s executive branch could parlay into serious political muscle to advance its agenda.
Shocking to none, Trump’s poll numbers show a significant split among voters, yielding the highest percentage of respondents who always trust what he says versus those who never trust what he says.
I don’t believe these numbers are an actual barometer of voters’ trust in the president. Trust means you believe what someone says to be a sincere reflection of their intent. It is hard to suggest Trump doesn’t speak his mind. In fact, he might be too honest, saying or posting exactly what he thinks without the politically correct veneer used by normal politicians. These survey results are more of a proxy of how popular or unpopular his unfiltered statements are, rather than a direct assessment of how genuine or trustworthy the president is. Either way, it highlights a notable difference between Trump and Cox.
Pignanelli: “To be trusted is a greater compliment than being loved.” — George MacDonald
These polling results offer an intriguing insight into how voters perceive officials, especially considering the dichotomy between Cox and Trump.
Trust is an interesting emotion. Oftentimes, politicians are criticized for failing to uphold their beliefs or for betraying the public’s best interests. Cox, who is unequivocally honest, has good trust numbers, but they should be higher, if not for ideological reasons.
Over 45% of 2024 Republican primary voters did not select Cox. Some of this antipathy was likely reflected in the poll. This reveals that Cox’s higher trust ratings are pulling across the entire political spectrum, a compliment to his leadership.
Trump defies the traditional demeanor of politicians. He always expresses whatever is on his mind and then enjoys the chaotic fallout. A substantial number of voters trust him for this perceived openness. Of course, his regular flood of opinions often angers others, thereby intensifying an emotion of untrustworthiness.
Cox never pushes his executive authority beyond normal parameters, whereas Trump maximizes his almost hourly. Despite these differences, both are criticized for how they utilize such powers. This is reflected in the responses. The survey proves trust is in the eye of the beholder.
The Deseret News/Hinckley Institute of Politics poll also revealed that 47% of Utahns give a positive approval to the Legislature (41% disapprove). This ranking jumps to 67% among Republicans and falls to 37% for independents and 20% for Democrats.
Cowley: This poll signals great news for Republican legislators facing reelection. Voters are happy with their political efforts — redistricting, fighting UEA’s perceived liberal indoctrination of children and lowering taxes. GOP legislators in swing seats need only demonstrate their ability to work across the aisle on a few bills this session, and their messaging to voters is locked and loaded.
In this survey, voters identified housing as the No.1 issue they want the Legislature to address, a legitimate concern when Utah ranks 9th highest in the nation for median housing prices. Republican legislative leadership is attuned to its voters and has responded in kind, making affordability a top priority. Delivering meaningful changes on this topic, however, is easier said than done.
Pignanelli: In the 2024 gubernatorial race, 65% of Utahns voted for either Republican Spencer Cox or Independent Republican Phil Lyman. The Legislature is overwhelmingly GOP and consistently follows conservative principles when adopting legislation. So legislators’ approval among Republican voters aligns with the state’s flavor. However, Utah independents (or those not affiliated) often vote for Republican candidates. So the drop in the poll among these citizens should be considered when passing legislation this session and developing campaign messaging.
Gov. Cox delivered the State of the State address last week. What can Utah take away from his remarks?
Cowley: In true Gov. Cox fashion, he repeated some of his more popular refrains, such as professing the virtue of seeking common ground over partisanship, increasing Utah’s housing supply, reasserting his moral crusade against tech companies and appealing to lawmakers to pass fewer bills. This address was substantially similar to previous ones he’s delivered, basically saying the same thing in a different font — why change what isn’t broken?
Pignanelli: Cox did what he does best: provide a vision and inspire all citizens of various political and religious beliefs. Regardless of differences, we can all be proud of our governor and what he represents to the nation.