It's true! I am running for State Senate District 12! I'm hoping to continue the Maynes' work to represent our strong working families in the legislature. Check out my website https://brettgarner.org/ for a complete list of issue positions and my bio. #utpol #utleg

In the 2000s, it was usually the 2nd Congressional District; in the 2010s, it was the 4th; and in 2022 it was clearly the US Senate race. But even then they focus too much on horserace polls and not enough on where the candidates stand on a variety of issues. Journalists can help by focusing on what politicians are doing and proposing instead of acting as stenographers for press releases. #utpol

Instead of dignity, what we need more in Utah is accountability in our political system. The news media is doing an admirable job in this regard, but the reduction of coverage since the 2000s is remarkable. For the most part, the major news outlets seem content in giving the vast amount of coverage to one seemingly competitive race each election cycle, and then giving perfunctory one-story profiles for most other races. #utpol

No better example of this was, again, Burgess Owens’ absence from the debate stage, but the Dignity Index still “scored” his unopposed video release as if it was the same as the other debates, showing contempt for their very idea of “dignity". Clearly, the Dignity Index is far away from prime-time in the 2024 presidential race. #utpol

Second is the Dignity Index. In 2011, I attended the launch of the Utah Civility Initiative with then-Mayor Ralph Becker and then-Lt. Governor Greg Bell. In the eleven years since, there have been various calls for “civility” and “dignity”, but all have failed to address the contempt that too many of of our elected officials have toward the public, let alone their political opponents. https://archive.sltrib.com/article.php?id=50997369&itype=CMSID

What could be done better? For one, the Commission should dissolve, and news and community organizations should go back to sponsoring their own debates. In 2006, when I managed the campaign for Pete Ashdown for US Senate, he debated Orrin Hatch on KUTV, KTVX, KSL, KBYU, KCSG, and the Salt Lake Rotary Club (which was recorded for KUED broadcast), with a variety of moderators and questioners. In 2022, the US Senate debate barely got on three stations. #UTPol

It was pretty unbelieveable to pick the Tribune’s editor as the moderator of the 4th District debate after Owens had boycotted the paper’s coverage (disingenuously, for sure, but a real issue), and then be surprised when he decided to make himself into a victim again. They held all the debates much too late and with much too little station coverage for it to make a difference in any race. Finally, they clearly got played by the Lee campaign in ticket distribution. #UTPol

I originally intended it to be an analysis of 3 failed institutions during the 2022 cycle: Utah Debate Commission, The Dignity Index and UDP However, I found that my #utdem thoughts would exceed the Trib’s 600 word commentary limit. Here's what I cut from the op-ed: #utpol
The Utah Debate Commission was an exercise in futility this year, even more so than previous years. They failed to hold primary debates for the Republican party.

I wrote this commentary about the failures that @UtahDemocrats made this year, and what regular #utdem need to do to be viable in 2024 and beyond. #utpol
https://www.sltrib.com/opinion/commentary/2022/12/28/brett-garner-utah-democrats-must/

Thunderhail in West Valley city #utwx