Spencer Cox cruises to win in GOP primary; Phil Lyman says he won’t concede
Jun 25, 2024, 11:00 PM
Gov. Spencer Cox and first lady Abby Cox and Derek Brown and his wife Emilie Brown greet supporters during the primary election night party in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, June 25, 2024. (Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News)
(Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY — Gov. Spencer Cox and Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson easily won the Republican gubernatorial primary on Tuesday evening, according to the Associated Press, though challenger Phil Lyman said he wouldn’t concede and called for an independent audit of the results.
Lyman has been sowing doubt about the eventual results in the lead-up to the election and has frequently spread unfounded claims of election fraud in the 2024 presidential election.
Henderson and Cox dispatched state Lyman and his running mate Natalie Clawson, who have run an increasingly desperate campaign in recent days after polling showed Cox with a sizable lead.
With about 250,000 votes recorded across the state from 16 counties, Cox leads Lyman with over 59% of the vote.
John Curtis wins the GOP primary for US Senate in Utah, AP projects
Utah Sen. Mike Lee congratulated the governor on social media on the win, which he said “is sure to usher in his second term leading our great state.”
“I’ll look forward to continue work with Governor Cox to help Utah families on issues like housing, natural resources, and lowering the cost of living, and I have no doubt that he will keep our wonderful home the best place to live in America,” Lee continued.
Although Cox holds a commanding lead over Lyman, the early results are likely closer than the governor would have liked. A Deseret News poll of the race early this month showed Cox with 62% compared to Lyman’s 25%. The early vote tallies show Cox’s support in line with the polling, though Lyman has so far outpaced his showings in the polls.
