Spencer Cox facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Spencer Cox
Cox in 2024
18th Governor of Utah
Incumbent
Assumed office January 4, 2021
Lieutenant	Deidre Henderson
Preceded by	Gary Herbert
Chair of the National Governors Association
In office July 14, 2023 – July 12, 2024
Preceded by	Phil Murphy
Succeeded by	Jared Polis
8th Lieutenant Governor of Utah
In office October 16, 2013 – January 4, 2021
Governor	Gary Herbert
Preceded by	Greg Bell
Succeeded by	Deidre Henderson
Member of the Utah House of Representatives from the 58th district
In office January 1, 2013 – October 16, 2013
Preceded by	Stephen Sandstrom
Succeeded by	Jon Cox
Personal details
Born	Spencer James Cox (1975-07-11) July 11, 1975 (age 49) Mount Pleasant, Utah, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Abby Palmer
Children	4
Residence	Governor's Mansion
Education	Snow College (AA) Utah State University (BA) Washington and Lee University (JD)
Signature

Spencer James Cox (born July 11, 1975) is an American lawyer and politician. He is currently the 18th governor of Utah, serving since 2021. Before becoming governor, he was the eighth lieutenant governor of Utah from 2013 to 2021. He is a member of the Republican Party.

Cox grew up in Fairview, Utah. He started his political career there, being elected to the city council in 2004 and then as mayor in 2005. In 2008, he became a Sanpete County commissioner. He was elected to the Utah House of Representatives in 2012. In 2013, he was appointed lieutenant governor and later elected to the position in 2016. He became governor in 2020 and was reelected in 2024.

Growing Up and School

Spencer Cox was raised in Fairview, Utah. He went to North Sanpete High School. After high school, he attended Snow College. While he was a student, he also served a mission in Mexico for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. During this time, he married his high school sweetheart, Abby.

After getting his associate's degree from Snow College, he went to Utah State University (USU). He graduated from USU in 1998 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science. He was named Student of the Year at USU and earned top grades. Cox then went to Washington and Lee University School of Law, graduating with honors in 2001.

Early Career Steps

After law school, Spencer Cox worked as a law clerk for a judge in Utah. He then joined a law firm in Salt Lake City. Later, he moved back to rural Utah and became a vice president at a company called Centracom.

Political Journey

Local and State Roles

Cox began his political career in his hometown of Fairview, Utah. He was elected to the city council in 2004 and became mayor the following year. In 2008, he was elected as a commissioner for Sanpete County.

In 2012, Cox was elected to the Utah House of Representatives. He was the first person in the House to call for the removal of the state's attorney general due to concerns about campaign finance.

Serving as Lieutenant Governor

In October 2013, Governor Gary Herbert chose Spencer Cox to become the new lieutenant governor. The Utah Senate quickly approved his nomination, and he was sworn in. As lieutenant governor, Cox worked on a report about the financial dealings of the previous attorney general.

In the 2016 Utah gubernatorial election, Cox was elected to a full term as lieutenant governor alongside Governor Herbert.

Governor of Utah

In 2019, Spencer Cox announced he would run for governor. He won the Republican nomination in 2020 and then won the general election, becoming the governor of Utah. His inauguration was held in Ivins, Utah, to show his commitment to serving the entire state, not just the main cities. He even opened an office in Cedar City.

As governor, one of Cox's main goals was to speed up the state's vaccine distribution. Utah did well in this effort, administering a high percentage of its vaccine doses.

In July 2022, Cox was chosen as the vice chair of the National Governors Association. In March 2023, he signed two important bills into law. One of these was the Utah Social Media Regulation Act, which requires parental consent for minors to create social media accounts and limits their access during certain hours.

Governor's Vetoes

As governor, Spencer Cox has used his power to veto (reject) some bills passed by the state legislature. All of his vetoes have been for bills supported by Republicans, even though Republicans have a large majority in Utah's legislature.

One notable veto was in March 2022. He vetoed a bill that would prevent transgender youth athletes from playing in girls' sports. Cox pointed out that very few transgender students were participating in high school sports in Utah. However, the legislature voted to override his veto, meaning the bill still became law.

Political Views

Spencer Cox is often seen as a moderate Republican, meaning his views are sometimes in the middle of the political spectrum.

He has expressed his views on national politics. In 2015, he supported Marco Rubio for president, and later Ted Cruz. He initially criticized Donald Trump, saying Trump did not represent "goodness nor kindness." However, he later said he supported Trump, though he claims he did not vote for him in the 2016 or 2020 elections. After the 2021 Capitol attack, Cox stated that Trump was responsible for the violence.

In July 2024, Cox publicly endorsed Donald Trump for president. He wrote a letter expressing his strong belief that Trump could unite the country.

Environment

Cox does not support using the Antiquities Act to create new national monuments. He believes that these designations can sometimes harm the very landscapes they are meant to protect. He has spoken against the expanded boundaries of Bears Ears National Monument and Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument.

Gun Laws

In February 2021, Governor Cox signed a bill that allows people to carry a firearm in public without a permit. This made Utah one of the states with a "constitutional carry" law.

In June 2022, he said he was open to discussing a red flag law with the legislature. These laws allow temporary removal of firearms from individuals who may be a danger to themselves or others.

LGBTQ+ Rights

Spencer Cox has shown support for the LGBTQ+ community. In 2016, he spoke at a vigil for victims of the Orlando nightclub shooting. He apologized for not being supportive enough of LGBTQ+ schoolmates in the past.

In 2020, he supported Governor Herbert's decision to ban conversion therapy through an executive order. This therapy tries to change a person's sexual orientation or gender identity. In 2023, Cox signed a bill that made this ban a state law, which was the first time such a ban passed a state legislature unanimously.

In April 2021, Cox shared his personal pronouns ("he", "him", "his") during a town hall meeting. In June 2022, he became the first Utah governor to officially recognize June as LGBTQ+ Pride Month.

However, in January 2023, Cox signed a bill that bans gender-affirming surgery for people under 18.

Personal Life

Cox with his wife Abby in 2024

Spencer Cox is the oldest of eight children. He grew up on a farm in Fairview, Utah, where he still lives with his wife, Abby, and their four children. His father, Eddie, was also involved in public service.

Cox enjoys playing the bass guitar in a garage band. His brother-in-law, Travis Osmond (son of Merrill Osmond from The Osmonds), taught him how to play. Another brother-in-law, State Senator Mike McKell, is also a politician.

Cox is a big fan of the band The Killers. In 2018, his band even recorded a cover of their song "Read My Mind".

Images for kids

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  Spencer Cox's signature

See also

In Spanish: Spencer Cox para niños