Utah Governor Spencer Cox Calls 2024 Election an ‘Earthquake’ as Voter Shifts Surprise Both Parties

Utah Governor Spencer Cox recently shared his thoughts on the 2024 election, calling it an earthquake because of how voters’ party preferences shifted.

He made these comments during a meeting with the editorial boards of the Deseret News and KSL, following similar remarks he made at a University of Virginia event in November.

Cox highlighted that although Republicans narrowly won control of the presidency, U.S. House, and Senate, the real surprise wasn’t just the close margins, but how and who voted.

He explained that the election was different from what many expected, as it wasn’t just a matter of men voting one way and women voting another.

The big shift came from demographic groups that were usually predictable, like Black and Latino voters, who supported Donald Trump in unexpected numbers.

Cox had predicted Trump’s success in states like Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin, based on Trump’s connection with working-class voters. While President Biden also had this connection, Cox didn’t believe that someone like Kamala Harris, a liberal from California, could appeal to these voters. But he was surprised when Harris, representing the Democratic Party, did.

He also mentioned that Democrats, especially Democratic governors, are likely reflecting on the election results and asking difficult questions about their strategies. While Cox supports the Republican Party, he acknowledged that there are strong Democratic leaders in the country and hopes that both parties can learn from the election.

Cox also pointed out that blaming inflation alone for the election results doesn’t capture the full picture.

Additionally, he mentioned that he will be releasing his Fiscal Year 2026 budget soon.