Phil Lyman tries another longshot lawsuit to challenge his election loss to Utah Gov. Spencer Cox.
Hits & Misses
By Katharine Biele @kathybiele
Miss: The Bitter End
Can you spell L-O-S-E-R? Former state Rep. Phil Lyman, a multi-time loser himself, would really like to spell "loser" this way: "Spencer Cox." The Utah electorate is probably tired of hearing Lyman try, try again but let's face it, the electorate doesn't always win. Lyman's strange journey began when he ramped up to win the Republican convention, but just couldn't make it over the primary finish line. Cox had gathered signatures, which the party's fringe has never liked because it moderates the vote. Lyman launched a failed write-in campaign and has been hounding the courts to give him full access to Utah's voter registration list. We mean "full" as in even the private and protected data, although they say they don't want that. Lyman has aligned himself with the voter-fraud advocacy group Public Interest Legal Foundation. While he's lost even at the U.S. Supreme Court, it's not stopping him. He's convinced that the lieutenant governor is hiding fraud because she's aligned with Cox. Don't be so sure your voter rolls will be safe. After all, the Supreme Court has released Social Security data to DOGE, so there's that.
Miss: Dishonor Roll
Oh, how we hate to watch higher education go low. Colleges and universities are bowing to demands from the federal government, and Utah universities are finding themselves in the crosshairs of our conservative lawmakers, who would follow Donald Trump—the anointed savior of mankind—to the cliff. It's Make America White Again and more as Utah colleges wipe out any remnants of diversity, and certainly "liberal" arts. Sure, it's about money that they will lose, but let's talk about the loss of integrity and, of course, the brilliant minds who might have graduated in educational psychology, neurobiology, bioengineering or even modern dance. And because the powers that be disdain the individual, colleges will still be able to move forward with AI.
Hit: Tusks Up
Whether you like hockey or not, you've got to love the Utah Mammoth's middle finger to the Utah Legislature. Layton Republican Rep. Trevor Lee—a little man who has long been horrified by gay and transgender people—passed a law outlawing Pride flags in government buildings—although it was couched as some kind of neutral issue. The Utah Hockey Club saw right through it and when they revealed their new name—the Utah Mammoth—and then their newest logo for Pride Month, it was indeed very prideful. Lee is apoplectic and is gunning for the Mammoth and, of course, any cities like Salt Lake that have dared defy his flag ban. Follow Lee on X for more of his slogan to "kill the rainbow." He insists "Utahns overwhelmingly don't support Pride month. We are the most kind people in the world and are taken advantage of because of that kindness." Sure.
About The Author
Katharine Biele
A City Weekly contributor since 1992, Katharine Biele is the informed voice behind our Hits & Misses column. When not writing, you can catch her working to empower voters and defend democracy alongside the League of Women Voters.
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