A summer of politics awaits
By Renae Cowley, Frank Pignanelli
Republican Renae Cowley is a political consultant, lobbyist, social media influencer and professional rodeo athlete. Frank Pignanelli is a Salt Lake attorney, lobbyist and political adviser who served as a Democrat in the Utah State Legislature.
Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial start of summer. This season also sees the launch of various political activities among officials and the media. We provide a primer.
Media and political pundits love timeline markers. By the end of July, President Donald Trump will be in his second term for over 180 days. When this milepost is reached, who is likely to be viewed as the most effective cabinet member? What metrics may be used to evaluate effectiveness?
COWLEY: As a pageant queen, I’m well-qualified to crown the most effective cabinet member, and who wins each category: making headlines, budget impact, ticking off democrats, and delivering on Trump’s campaign promises.
Nobody comes close to Elon Musk in making headlines, budget impact, and ticking off the Democrats. Yet his reign is ending as he is stepping back from DOGE.
First runner-up is Tom Homan, border Czar. Under his leadership, the border is far more secure (points for delivering on promises). His first act was arresting targeted illegal immigrants in Chicago, a sanctuary city where the mayor said he was “not welcome” (scores a perfect 10 for ticking off Democrats).
The tiara and sash go to smooth and steady Kennedy. RFK is delivering big. He removed junk food from SNAP, is phasing out artificial dyes, making school lunch healthy, and he launched an investigation into autism. His remarks aren’t firebrand, he’s neither clout-chasing nor committing group thread faux pas. He’s simply furthering the policy agenda he was put in that role to do.
Oh, and Karoline Leavitt wins Miss Congeniality. Not for kindness, but for toughness, for which I award extra points.
PIGNANELLI: “Evaluate what you want - because what gets measured, gets produced.” – James A. Belasco
In this hyper-partisan environment, when evaluating public officials I recommend the Time magazine Person of the Year criterion: “Who most affected the news and our lives, for good or ill.” (Yep, this is a not-so-clever tactic to reduce nasty responses.) With such analysis, Elon Musk will be noted this summer for impacts on society, through reductions in government funding. Although hindered by officials from further narrowing the annual deficit, he initiated a serious endeavor. No one in the executive or legislative branches dared to do what he did.
Initially, DOGE was supported by two-thirds of Americans as an important effort to reduce federal expenditures. But through needless insults and false starts, this goodwill was lost. This, too, will be evaluated.
The passage (or non-passage) of the “big beautiful bill”, and its impact on Americans will be scrutinized. The state’s congressional delegation will defend the legislation, while Utah officials will provide explanations of its effects on local governments.
The best leisure activities this summer will likely include water sports, reading fiction, hiking, biking, and not politics.
Will Gov. Spencer Cox endure the same evaluations as Trump? What issues will lawmakers be considering in anticipation of special sessions this year?
COWLEY: A politician’s legacy is evaluated by effectiveness and likability, which can have an inverse correlation. Trump gets a lot accomplished with little tact. To be “more successful,” Cox advised Trump to “disagree better.” However, Trump’s success is due in part to being a bit unhinged. World leaders and political adversaries fear him because they believe he may actually do what he threatens to do. Cox strives to strike a balance between these legacy-building traits. He’s equal parts likable, with his farm kid charm, and is effective, like leading a national effort against social media’s impact on children.
Expect a special session to address two bills from the governor’s veto letter, possibly moving the union referendum election to this November, strengthening Utah Fits All, and launching more arrows at the judiciary. Speaker Schultz is clear - judges must serve justice or be served a legislative pink slip.
PIGNANELLI: The Governor will be evaluated by the success of his projects, including housing, energy and civic discourse. Since the session is a distant memory, he can establish his unique metrics for evaluation. We anticipate some novel approaches from the executive branch.
There will likely be one special session to correct some technical errors in legislation passed earlier in the year. But this open door will also allow lawmakers to consider passing different versions of bills that were vetoed and could survive gubernatorial critiques. Judicial decisions on private scholarships and other social issues will influence legislative deliberations, which are expected to be reflected later in the year. Expect a busy summer at the Capitol.
COWLEY: Drought-induced wildfires and arsenic dust storms from a receding Great Salt Lake sound like the plot of a horror movie, but are very real possibilities. On a brighter note, the Fourth of July and Pioneer Day are around the corner, marking the greatest rodeo-filled days of summer, so I and my fellow rodeo fans have that to look forward to.
PIGNANELLI: The predictions are for another record-breaking heat wave in the Rocky Mountains. This will foster obvious discussions regarding water and climate change. However, there is a trend in national and local policymakers to confront major issues with greater efficiency and sensitivity.