Personal virtue, not political victory, formed the foundation of America’s experiment 250 years ago — and it must continue to do so if Utah wants to solve its deepest problems, according to Utah Gov. Spencer Cox.
This was the message Cox delivered on Thursday to dedicate the 2026 legislative session in his annual State of the State address, before Utah’s 104 lawmakers, five Supreme Court justices and other statewide officials.
“The founders knew we couldn’t succeed as a nation without virtuous leaders,” the governor said, before adding: “America desperately needs a return to virtue. You could say America needs a return to Utah.”
Cox cited the state’s top social and economic rankings but urged lawmakers to think beyond policy. Utah became “perhaps the greatest success story of the American experiment,” Cox said, because of “moral character.”
Amid crushing home prices, damaging technology and plateauing literacy, Cox called on the Beehive State’s branches of government to find solutions by retreating from partisanship, and returning to “old fashioned” virtues.
Cox took his once-in-a-year opportunity to address all of the state’s top leaders to outline concrete ways to do this.
Cox’s legislative priorities
Prior to the session, Cox told the Deseret News his priorities for the state’s 45-day session are to speed up home construction, secure funding for a central homeless campus and to reverse stagnant literacy rates for third graders.
On Thursday, Cox pushed for legislative action on these priorities, while encouraging lawmakers — with equal passion — to put an end to their streak of passing close to 600 bills every session for his office to enforce.
As a self-styled spokesperson for “touch grass populism,” Cox once again reiterated his belief that the harms of new technologies far outweigh the benefits for Utah’s children, particularly when it comes to the classroom.
Cox advocated for a “bell-to-bell” cellphone ban in K-12 schools, which forms part of a broader package supported by Cox to reduce education technology and to require AI companies to enforce child protection safeguards.
Cox gave his firmest declaration when it came to housing: “Utah will not become a state of renters.” After years of proposals to streamline zoning and incentivize developers, Cox championed a bill to fund local infrastructure.
The affordability of housing is the No. 1 issue Utah voters want the Legislature to address during the session, seen as a priority by more than 3 in 10 Utah voters, according to a new Deseret News/Hinckley Institute of Politics poll.
As the session gets underway, the governor and legislative leadership are already at odds about how to fund the state’s new $75 million central campus for homeless services. But Cox said state officials share the same vision.
“Our mission is to make Utah the worst place in the country to camp on the street — and the best place to get help," Cox said.
New poll on Cox approval
Utah Democrats responded to Cox’s remarks in a video statement, questioning whether Cox and the Republican majority’s emphasis on tax cuts and business friendly policies was working for regular Utahns.
Over the past few years, Utah has faced the ninth priciest housing market in the country, the greatest number of child care deserts anywhere and lingering drought conditions that threaten the health of the Great Salt Lake.
“We cannot call our economy strong when children are going hungry, when housing is out of reach, or when parents are forced to choose between child care and a paycheck,” said Senate Minority Leader Luz Escamilla, D-Salt Lake City.
Escamilla and House Minority Leader Angela Romero, D-Salt Lake City, criticized their GOP counterparts for pushing judicial reforms, amendments to limit the power of ballot initiatives and proposals to control classroom curriculum.
This session, Republican caucuses in both chambers have prioritized placing checks on the court system, accelerating economic growth and investing in critical mineral extraction. They are also considering several immigration-related bills.
As Cox enters his sixth legislative session as governor, he maintains a positive approval rating among Utah voters, according to the latest Deseret News/Hinckley Institute poll conducted by Morning Consult from Jan. 7-12.
Matching Cox’s rating in November, 51% of Utah voters approved of Cox’s performance in office, while 37% disapproved. An identical share of Utah voters approved of President Donald Trump, according to the poll.
The poll also asked voters about trust in their leaders. Nearly 60% of Utah voters said they trust what Cox says some or all of the time, compared to 49% of Utah voters who said the same of the president.
In his speech, Cox’s reminder for lawmakers on the eve of America’s 250th birthday was that success depends on having “virtuous leaders” who are “humble enough to listen and learn from others, while seeking common ground.”
“In other words, and more succinctly, if America ceases to be good, she will cease to be great,” Cox said.
