Gov. Cox: ‘Both parties are making a huge mistake’ for presidential nominees

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Utah Gov. Spencer Cox heavily criticized both the Republican and Democratic parties over their choice of nominees in the upcoming 2024 presidential election.

While the nominees have yet to be set in stone for this November’s presidential election, election polls are favoring a rematch between current President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump.

During his monthly news conference, Cox admitted he hadn’t voted for any major candidate in a presidential election in the last 12 years, opting instead to vote for a write-in candidate.

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“I think we are making a huge mistake as Americans. I think that we should be nominating different people. I think both parties are making a huge mistake. I think most Americans and most Utahns agree,” said Cox. “I think 70-75% of Americans think it’s a mistake to nominate either of the party front runners right now. I think we’ve seen just in the last couple weeks why that’s such a big mistake. I think the party that figures this out first and nominates someone else, though that may be four years from now, is going to clean up in a big way.”

Cox said he believes Trump will reclaim the White House in 2024 and that he has “no question” Trump will win Utah – just as he did in 2016 and 2020. He said voters will simply vote for Biden because “he isn’t Trump,” but ultimately it will be issues over immigration and the southern border will be Biden’s downfall that will cost him the election.

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Gov. Cox has not yet officially endorsed anyone in the presidential election, but he has openly supported the idea of a governor being elected to the White House. Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley (R) remains the last governor in the Republican presidential primary.

“I wish I got to choose the Republican nomination, but I’m a Republican and I respect my party. I respect my party’s voters,” said Cox. “I think if we were to nominate Gov. [Nikki] Haley or literally anyone else, we would win by 10 to 14 points.”

Regardless of who wins the upcoming presidential election, Cox said he has shown a track record of being able to work closely with presidents from either party.

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