FILE: Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox in October 2019. The Cox for Governor Campaign announced it is the first campaign to submit its signatures to be included on the Republican primary ballot. (Photo courtesy of Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — The Cox for Governor campaign announced it has submitted at least 28,000 signatures to place Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox on the Republican primary ballot. This makes Cox the first gubernatorial candidate to do so this year.
The signatures were delivered to the Utah Elections Office Monday by the lieutenant governor’s wife, Abby Cox, while he was attending to official business in Moab.
“Spencer and I want to thank the most committed team of campaign volunteers in the state for attaining such a remarkable achievement,” Abby Cox said in a press release. “We don’t have the same resources as other candidates, but we have always said no one will work harder than us.”
Cox announced his run for governor in May 2019. In a recent poll among Republican voters, it showed Lt. Gov. Cox tied with former Ambassador and former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman Jr. among Republican voters.
The campaign reports not using a professional signature-gathering company. Instead, it used more than 500 volunteers to gather a total of 29,365 signatures since Jan. 2.
“The reaction to our uniquely grassroots campaign is highly encouraging as we continue to campaign across all 248 Utah cities and towns,” Abby Cox said.
Lt. Gov. Cox also reports he will participate in the state nominating convention that will take place in April.
“The last decade was the most prosperous period in Utah’s history, and as a consistent conservative I believe the next decade can be even better,” said Lt. Gov. Cox in a press release. “I look forward to articulating my vision for Utah’s future during a respectful and vigorous primary campaign with whomever qualifies for the ballot. Abby and I are all in for Utah.”
The Utah Elections Office will begin validating each of the signatures submitted by the campaign team.
The Republican field is crowded with gubernatorial hopefuls. In addition to Cox and Huntsman, the state’s former house speaker, Greg Hughes, businessman Jeff Burningham, former GOP chair Thomas Wright, former independent candidate Jason Christensen, and Salt Lake County Councilwoman Aimee Winder Newton are seeking to get their names on the Republican primary ballot. Only one Democrat has declared his intent to run so far: businessman Zachary Moses.