In an interview with KUTV 2 News, Heidi Hatch, Brad Wilson, former Utah House Speaker, and current Republican U.S. Senate Candidate, spoke about the upcoming Utah Presidential Preference Poll/Caucus scheduled for Super Tuesday, Mar. 5.

Wilson was not surprised by Mondays Supreme Court ruling that would keep former President Donald Trump on the ballot in all 50 states.

"I'm really glad they ruled the way we did. I expected they would rule the way they did," remarked Wilson. "Voters should be the ones to make this decision about who gets to be our next president, not activists in liberal states, not even activist judges in liberal states. And so, I think it's a good thing so that the American people get to make this decision."

Wilson's remarks underscore a prevailing sentiment among many Utah Republicans, who have long advocated for preserving the integrity of the electoral process and ensuring that voters have the final say.

The discussion comes on the eve of Super Tuesday and Utah’s Presidential Preference Poll, where Utahns will have the opportunity to cast their votes and voice their preferences for the next President of the United States in neighborhood caucuses.

Utah has 40 delegates at stake in the Presidential primary that will be divided amongst the candidates garnering votes Tuesday night.

15 states and one US Territory will vote on Tuesday, Mar. 5 — doling out one third of the delegates needed to win.

Registered Utah Republicans can get ready for caucus night by finding a location and registering.

Utah Democrats should have received a ballot to vote and will also have an opportunity to caucus and pick delegates for state and county convention.

Utah Election Information 

Highlights on important issues for Utah voters from Wilson’s interview:

RULING THAT PUTS TRUMP BACK ON THE BALLOT

“I'm really glad they ruled the way we did. I expected they would rule the way they did. I mean, voters should be the ones to make this decision about who gets to be our next president, not activists in liberal states, not even activist judges in liberal states. And so, I think it's a good thing so that the American people get to make this decision.

WILSON BACKING TRUMP FOR PRESIDENT

I endorsed Donald Trump a few months ago. I that it was very clear that he was going to be the next nominee, and I believe he'll be the next president of the United States, and we need to unify the Republican party around him. And we're doing that right now. We've seen that happen over and over and over again and get the country back on track, uh, with his leadership. So, I'm excited. Um, Mm-Hmm. that, uh, we're heading that direction.

WILL TRUMP DEBATE ON THE STAGE HERE IN UTAH?

I hope that they choose to participate. I think it's good for the American people to hear, uh, both presidential nominees discuss the issues, learn from them what their opinions are, but, you know, and that's a long way off in politics and we'll see what, uh, what happens. But isn't it great that Utah Yeah. Has been chosen to be one of the hosts? And I, we did such a great job with the vice-presidential debate a few years ago that they wanted to bring it back here. It's just amazing.

WHY SHOW UP TO CAUCUS?

Well, it's a great opportunity and a great way to go out and meet your neighbors. Go out Mm-Hmm. into your precinct, and you just get in a room, and you, uh, will decide who you want to support for the president. You'll also decide who you want to send to be state delegates to the state convention and county delegates, to your county convention, and who's going to run the precinct for the next couple of years. And it's really the grassroots of politics in Utah. And it's, uh, served us really well for a long time. I think it's going to continue to serve us well in the future. So, I've been doing this for probably almost 40 years. Yeah. And it's a great experience if you go out and do it.

BORDER CRISIS

Well, Congress has the ability, uh, to solve this issue if they want, but quite frankly, Joe Biden has the ability to close the border down right now. It's why you saw Border Patrol agents supporting Donald Trump, because they're so frustrated right now that the president who opened up the border when he became president, has done very little to try to close things down. The tools are there, there are resources there. The political will and the leadership are not there. People are frustrated. Now, Congress can do more, and I think they should do more. And I think you'll see them leaning into this issue, uh, in the near future. But we must secure our border. You know, Heidi, we know that the border crisis right now in America is costing every single taxpayer, uh, 1200, $1,300 a year by the time you look at the burden. This is placing on our criminal justice system, on our schools, on our healthcare system. The list goes on and on. Americans are frustrated, they're angry, they should be. And, and the, the fact of the matter is, Joe Biden is the one to blame right now for this issue. We need to get this solved.

UKRAINE AND ISRAEL AID TIED TO BORDER

Over the course of the next few months, you've got all these different issues both domestically and internationally that Congress is trying to wrestle to the ground. I believe we need to support our ally Israel, um, in defending themselves and dealing with Hamas that needs to be done in a surgical way. And, uh, we're going to continue to support them I'm sure, as a country with the aid that they need. We've supported Israel for years. Yeah. I mean, they've been a great ally. And without them in the Middle East, uh, we would see a lot of problems I think that, uh, we don't have right now. So, uh, I'm very supportive of what's happening there With Ukraine. Uh, people are frustrated. Uh, Americans are frustrated. There's been a hundred plus billion dollars of, of American taxpayer dollars sent there.

ECONOMY AND INFLATION

Utah families do feel like they've been pushed to the brink. Mm-Hmm. And, and you said the word economy, but I'll just kind of maybe peel the layer back one additional level, which is what they really feel right now is this incredible inflation. Mm-Hmm. that's hurt them. And we know in the last three years since Biden became president, the average Utah family has seen their cost-of-living increase by about $8,000 a year, Heidi. And that is real money. Everything is costing Utah so much more money, whether it's cars or housing or fuel or food. Yeah. Uh, food right now is costing as much for a Utah family as a percentage of their household budget as it did when I was in high school. I mean, that's how much Utah families are spending on food. They are frustrated, but it's inflation that they're frustrated with.

HOW TO FIX INFLATION?

The reason we have all this inflation is because the White House and Congress has spent so much money, and we don't have fiscal discipline in Washington, DC and you ask about the solution. Mm-Hmm., the solution is for Congress to start spending less. And in fact, spending what they generate, they're going to spend almost $2 trillion more this year back in Washington than they're generating. In what world does that make sense? That we can spend that much more money than we're generating in Washington DC and then the American people, American families are the ones that are paying the price for it. There needs to be some fiscal discipline in Washington. And here's what's great about what's happening right now in Utah. We know how to do that as Speaker of the house. Not only did I balance our budget, but I balanced our budget and cut taxes three different times for the biggest tax cuts in the history of Utah. Now, that's the kind of leadership we need in Washington is how do you balance a budget? How do you actually cut taxes? And by the way, that doesn't create the kind of inflation, uh, that you're seeing in, in Washington.

SPENDING OVERRUNS COME FROM BOTH DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS- HOW WILL YOU MAKE A DENT IN THE MASSIVE DEBT?

Well, it shouldn't be about campaign promises. Uh, this should be about what's right for the American people. Uh, this should be about what's right in terms of spending and controlling spending. And you've got to change the system in Washington. We've got to either pass a balance budget amendment, or we've got to do something legislatively that says Congress can't spend more money, uh, than they're taking it. And we need some people back there that have actually done the work, that have balanced budgets at a state level and have cut taxes at the same time. Utah's very unique in the sense that we have done that, but until you change the system, the only way you're going to change the system is change the people we send back there, you're going to continue to have this problem. And this is the number one issue I hear from Utahans, whether I'm up in Tremont or I'm down in St. George and everywhere in between, they want Congress to finally get their act together and start spending less money.

HOME BUYING

At the end of the day, it's supply and demand, but the other thing that's changed so dramatically for people is just what a house payment costs them. Yeah. And that's a function of inflation and interest rates. And that's a function of all the spending in Washington. Until we get spending under control in Washington, you're likely to see interest rates stay high, and you're likely to see housing be unaffordable for Utah families. And, and I do worry about the next generation. I mean, like you Heidi, I have kids that are launching in the world, and they are looking at their future, and they want to know that someday they'll be able to live the American dream of owning their own home. And we want to help them as parents, but we need leaders, uh, back in Washington, uh, and here in the state that are going to lean into this issue. You have seen a lot more done at a state level. Uh, we have done more here to help Utah families, uh, get into their first home than Washington's ever, ever thought of. Uh, all Washington's made the problem worse. Utah leaders have tried to make the problem easier to solve.

WHAT SETS HIM APART?

We need more people in Washington DC that have been in the trenches at a state level solving problems and have seen, uh, from a front row seat the problems in dysfunction that's created in Washington. And that's what's really unique about my candidacy. I mean, I'm the only person, uh, that is running in this race that has a record of the biggest tax cuts in the history of the state. Uh, I'm the only person running in this race that has helped initiate suits against the federal government because of all the problems that they have caused, whether it's on energy policy or public lands or other issues. And having someone that's actually lived the problems that the federal government's created, go back to Washington and prevent problems from happening and fix the problems that are already there is a unique opportunity for Utahans. And that's part of the reason I'm running.

CROWDED RACE

Governor Cox is supporting my candidacy. And so, no one has the grassroots support that we have, and no one also has the support of elected officials, including sixty plus mayors from across the state and some of our biggest cities. And here is why. All these people, Heidi are wanting me to get elected to the US Senate. They know I am going to fight for Utah. They know I have got the experience to do this, and they know what this country needs. What Utah needs is to have someone that has actually done the work before.

Utah U.S. Senate Candidates:

• John Curtis, Republican
• Brad Reed Wilson, Republican
• Trent Staggs, Republican
• Brent Orrin Hatch, Republican
• Carolyn Phippen, Republican
• Clark S. White, Republican
• Chandler H. Tanner, Republican
• Josh Randall, Republican
• Jeremy Lewis Friedbaum, Republican
• Brian Earl Jenkins, Republican
• Jason J. Walton, Republican
• Caroline Gleich, Democratic
• Archie A. Williams III, Democratic
• Laird Fetzer Hamblin, Democratic
• Robert Newcomb, Independent American
• Carlton E. Bowen, Independent American

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