Big spending reported in Utah’s GOP gubernatorial primary

Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox, left, former Utah House Speaker Greg Hughes, former Utah GOP Chairman Thomas Wright and former Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. answer questions during a virtual forum featuring the Republican primary gubernatorial candidates at the Grand America Hotel in Salt Lake City on Thursday, May 7, 2020. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News

Four candidates reported shelling out more than $6.2 million so far this year

SALT LAKE CITY — The four Republican candidates running for Utah governor in this month’s primary election have spent a combined total of more than $6.2 million since the beginning of the year, according to the latest financial disclosures filed with the state.

The biggest outlays — more than $1.8 million each — came from Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox and former Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr., long the front-runners in the race. Former Utah GOP Chairman Thomas Wright reported expenditures of more than $1.3 million, and former Utah House Speaker Greg Hughes, more than $1.1 million.

At this point in Utah’s last gubernatorial primary four years ago, when state GOP delegates forced Gov. Gary Herbert into a primary against businessman Jonathan Johnson, Herbert had spent just under $1.5 million to less than $882,000 for Johnson.

In this year’s primary race, three of the candidates qualified for the ballot by gathering voter signatures: Cox, Huntsman and Wright. Hughes competed only at the state Republican Party convention for delegate support and was advanced to the ballot.

Cox reported having the most cash on hand, nearly $514,000, in the filing due Tuesday that covers two months ending in mid-June, while Huntsman had just over $61,700. Hughes had more than $337,000, while Wright reported just over $47,000 in an amended filing after initially showing a nearly $120,000 debt.

The difference for Wright was that the initial report listed a hefty digital marketing expense that had not yet been billed, according to his campaign, which also said Wright has since loaned himself $100,000 and his real estate company has contributed $25,000. Hughes, too, has loaned money to his campaign, more than $358,000.

All of the campaigns reported some big-dollar donations.

Cox received $75,000 from the National Education Association’s political action committee. The national teachers union made the contribution after the Utah Education Association backed Cox in the race. The lieutenant governor also was given $25,000 from Utah Jazz owner Gail Miller, who recently endorsed him.

Huntsman’s biggest contribution, $250,000, came from his mother, Karen, but he also received $100,000 from philanthropist and motivational speaker Barbara Barrington Jones, and $50,000 from Washington, D.C., attorney C. Boyden Gray, who served as President George H.W. Bush’s White House counsel.

Hughes’ biggest financial supporters have been a pair of developers, Utah House Majority Whip Mike Schultz, R-Hooper, and Kevin Garn, a former GOP legislative leader who resigned in 2010 amid controversy. In this reporting period, Schultz gave $250,000 and Garn, $100,000.

Wright collected $155,000 this cycle from his brother-in-law, Fred Lampropoulos, founder, chairman and CEO of Merit Medical Systems, and $140,000 from the congressional campaign war chest of his running mate, U.S. Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah.

The winner of the June 30 GOP gubernatorial primary will face Democrat Chris Peterson, a University of Utah law professor, in November. Because Utah hasn’t elected a Democrat as governor in 40 years, the primary race is seen by many as choosing the state’s next governor.

Herbert, who served as Huntsman’s lieutenant governor, is not seeking reelection after more than a decade in office and has endorsed Cox. The most recent Deseret News/Hinckley Institute of Politics poll showed Cox pulling ahead of Huntsman, followed by Hughes with Wright trailing.

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