Cox And Curtis Next Up For Interviews On Disability Policy

By JoLynne Lyon | September 11, 2020

Two high-profile Utah candidates are up for interviews with the CPD’s policy team on September 15 and 16: Lieutenant Governor Spencer Cox and Utah Third District Representative John Curtis.

The interview will focus on their stance on disability issues, as Cox runs for Utah governor and Curtis runs for another term as representative. The public is invited to both events via Zoom (links are below).

“Getting to Know the Candidates: Disability Policy,” is a series of individual interviews with candidates up for election for a variety of offices. (Find a complete list of candidates who will be interviewed on our policy page. All interviews will be held over Zoom. Candidate interviews will also be archived on the CPD’s Policy page.)

Questions for all candidates will cover receiving a fair and appropriate education in the time of COVID-19; ways to increase the employment of Utahns with Disabilities during the pandemic; independent and accessible voting for people with disabilities; ways to better support service providers during the COVID-19 crisis; how to encourage the expansion of mental health services in Utah; and ensuring law enforcement officers are trained to handle situations involving people in a mental health crisis.

Spencer Cox

Lieutenant Governor Spencer J. Cox

Cox’s interview takes place Tuesday, September 15, from 12:30 to 1 via Zoom.

He is Utah’s 8th Lieutenant Governor, is from Fairview, Utah where he currently resides with his wife, Abby and their four children. He is a graduate of Snow College, Utah State University and Washington and Lee Law School. He formerly practiced law with Fabian & Clendenin and was Vice President and General Counsel of CentraCom. He has served as a councilman and mayor of Fairview, as a Sanpete County Commissioner and in the Utah House of Representatives.

Lt. Governor Cox is by statute the chief election officer of the state and the liaison between the governor and legislature. He travels extensively throughout the state supporting economic development and local government solutions. He is committed to strengthening families, transforming education, increasing voter participation, utilizing modern technologies, promoting healthy living and empowering the homeless and impoverished.

He and his family enjoy spending time in Utah’s amazing backcountry. He also plays the bass guitar with his brother in a local rock band.

For more information, contact Aubrey Snyder.

Representative John R. Curtis

John Curtis

Representative Curtis’s interview is currently being rescheduled.

He proudly represents Utah’s 3rd Congressional District, serving on the House Natural Resources and Foreign Affairs Committees. After being elected to Congress on November 13, 2017, John sponsored 12 bills in his first year in office. Four of these bills passed through the House and three were signed into law: The POPPY Study Act to combat the opioid crisis, the Public-Private Partnership Advisory Council to End Human Trafficking Act, and the Small Business ACE Act.

The Congressman cares deeply about hearing the diverse perspectives and feedback from his constituents: he held over 100 town halls in 2018. Utah’s third district is the youngest in the country, with an average age of 26 years old. John is also sensitive to the many constituents that live in rural Utah and has focused on legislation that can fit needs of both demographics such as student loans, rural broadband access, and more.

John has been committed to helping Utah’s growing tech scene flourish and was recognized by Silicon Slopes as their first Community Hero Award recipient. Other personal awards comprise of Civic Innovator of the Year by Utah Valley University, Thayne Robson Award for Leadership in Economic Development, and Outstanding Citizen Award from the Office of Civic Engagement Leadership by Brigham Young University.

Prior to coming to Washington, John was the 45th mayor of Provo City, serving two terms. He was named the #1 Top Elected Official on Social Media 2015 by the Government Social Media group and has been recognized by Forbes for his commitment to citizen engagement. As mayor, he averaged an approval rating of 93%.

Before becoming mayor, John was a small business owner in Provo, working with his partners to build their business “Action Target,” where he led sales and operations strategy.

Congressman Curtis and his wife Sue have six children, seven grandchildren. He maintains a fluency in Mandarin Chinese and a closet full of stately socks.

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