I worry that we are losing the ability to disagree with each other without assuming the worst about each other. It has become far too easy to treat people on the other side as enemies, or as people who are not worth listening to. After watching Jon Stewart’s recent interview with Governor Spencer Cox, I kept thinking about Jon's argument that some people deserve our contempt. This is wrong. We should strongly oppose bad ideas and condemn things that are wrong, but contempt for another person is different. I am not suggesting that we water down our beliefs or convictions or avoid hard fights. But I also believe we need to sit down with people who disagree with us, listen to them, and remember that they are human beings who love their families and their country too. I do not always get this right. None of us do. But I believe it matters, especially for those of us entrusted with public office. I wrote about this in today’s Deseret News. I hope you will take a few minutes to read it. deseret.com/opinion/2026/09/…

Four years ago, Utah decided we were not going to sit back while social media companies built products that were harming our kids and then refused to take responsibility. We took on Big Tech. It has been a long and difficult fight, with lawsuits, legislation, court challenges, and plenty of criticism along the way. But today is a major milestone. Utah has helped secure a landmark $12.2 billion settlement with Meta that will require sweeping changes to Instagram and Facebook's treatment of children and teens. The agreement includes stronger age assurance, time limits, nighttime restrictions, limits on notifications during school hours, stronger parental controls, protections against harmful content, and independent oversight to make sure the reforms actually work. Utah is expected to receive $212 million as part of the settlement. This is one of the largest consumer protection settlements in American history, and the state describes it as the most far-reaching action any government has taken to make social media safer for young people. I am proud that Utah has been at the tip of the spear on this issue. When we began this fight, there was no roadmap. We simply knew that parents needed more tools, kids deserved better protection, and enormously powerful technology companies needed to be held accountable for the consequences of the products they were designing. Today's announcement did not happen because of one person or one bill. It has taken years of persistence and a tremendous team effort. Thank you to Attorney General Derek Brown, Governor Spencer Cox, Senator Mike McKell, Senator Kirk Cullimore, Margaret Busse, Kathie Hass, Aimee Winder Newton, and the many legislators, attorneys, state employees, parents, advocates, and others who have pushed this effort forward. There is still more work to do. But today is proof that states can stand up to some of the largest companies in the world and make a difference. Utah led. Others joined. And our kids will be safer because of it.

I'm honored to receive the inaugural Worker Freedom Award from @AmericansFair. Over the past several years, I've met with teachers, firefighters, police officers, union leaders, and many other public employees. Those conversations have reinforced my belief that every public employee deserves to have a voice, the freedom to make their own choices, and to be treated fairly. One reason this award is especially meaningful to me is that it recognizes something I believe is important in public service. After spending years working on a bill, I made the difficult decision to sponsor its repeal because I believed it was the best way to reset the conversation, move beyond the misinformation and polarization surrounding the issue, and continue working toward the Utah Way of solving difficult problems through collaboration and good-faith dialogue. Of that decision, AFFT CEO Chip Rogers said, "Leadership is doing the right thing, even when it's the tough thing to do." I appreciate those generous words and will continue striving to live up to that standard. Thank you to Americans for Fair Treatment for this recognition. If you'd like to read more about the award, here's the announcement: americansforfairtreatment.or…

Great news! President Trump signed proclamations today modifying the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments and restoring a more balanced approach to the management of Utah’s public lands. Utahns strongly support protecting the remarkable cultural, archaeological, historic, and natural resources found in these areas. We also understand that responsible conservation does not require the federal government to place millions of acres under overly restrictive management or ignore the communities that live closest to these lands. The Antiquities Act gives presidents important, but limited, authority to protect specific objects of historic or scientific interest. It was never intended to allow presidents to bypass Congress and make sweeping land-use decisions affecting entire regions of a state. Utah has a strong record of managing public lands responsibly. Our state and local communities understand these landscapes, their resources, and the needs of those who depend on them far better than distant federal bureaucracies. The people who live closest to these lands should have a meaningful role in decisions about their protection, access, and long-term management. For too long, Utah’s public lands have been treated as a political issue that shifts dramatically from one administration to the next. That uncertainty is unfair to rural communities, local governments, recreationists, ranchers, and everyone who depends on responsible and predictable land management. Today’s action is an important step toward respecting the law, preserving the resources that deserve protection, maintaining responsible access, and giving Utahns a greater voice in decisions that directly affect our state. I appreciate the members of Utah’s federal delegation, Governor Cox, Speaker Schultz, and the many state and local leaders who have worked for years to bring about this result. Ultimately, Congress should act to provide a lasting solution. Utah’s public lands are too important to remain subject to an endless cycle of presidential actions. We need a durable approach that protects these extraordinary places, respects local communities, and provides long-term certainty for future generations. deseret.com/politics/2026/07…

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for your support of this effort. Reducing class sizes and giving teachers more support is one of the most important conversations we can have for Utah's future. I look forward to continuing this work with educators, parents, and my colleagues.

Big credit to @ChickfilA. In a world where everything competes for our attention, choosing to prioritize real conversations and family connection is powerful. This is the kind of leadership we need more of, not just chasing engagement, but strengthening relationships and helping people reconnect where it matters most.

I was honored to receive the 2026 Defender of Liberty Award from the Libertas Institute. Libertas publishes an annual index evaluating how legislators vote on issues related to the principles of life, liberty, and property. Their work helps bring transparency and accountability to the legislative process and highlights the importance of protecting the freedoms that make Utah such a great place to live. While I do not serve in the legislature to chase awards or scorecards, I do appreciate organizations that take the time to carefully evaluate policy and the work being done at the Capitol. I am grateful for the recognition and even more grateful for the opportunity to represent the people of House District 44. I will continue working to defend individual liberty, protect families, and keep Utah a place where freedom and opportunity can flourish.

Four years ago today, Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Last year, I helped organize the signing of a Utah flag by legislators from across our state. We sent it to the front lines of Ukraine as a symbol of solidarity. That flag made its way to Kharkiv, Ukraine, and today, Kharkiv answered. The Kharkiv Regional Council sent a flag back to Utah. We formally received it at the Capitol, delivered by Nathaniel Saunders. I was honored to speak at the press conference alongside @GovCox, Speaker @mschultz_12, President @JStuartAdams, Ukrainian Ambassador @StefanishynaO, and Honorary Consul @slcman. Later, on the House floor, I led a moment of silence for those lost in this war and a prayer for peace in Ukraine. The war in Ukraine is not abstract to me. I served in Ukraine as a missionary more than twenty years ago. My wife is Ukrainian. Our children are Ukrainian. We have close friends and family still living there today. The streets I once walked in peace are now scarred by war. Civilians are still killed almost daily. Russian bombs and drones strike homes and power stations, leaving families without heat, light, and water. But Ukraine endures. They defend their homes. They rebuild what is destroyed. They refuse to surrender their freedom. This flag is more than fabric. It carries sacrifice. It carries resilience. It carries hope. Utah stands with Ukraine. And I will continue to stand with them. Read more here: deseret.com/utah/2026/02/24/…

Teachers tell me large class sizes are one of their biggest challenges. Utah can’t lead the nation with the nation’s largest classrooms. That’s why I’m sponsoring HB418, a state investment to start reducing class sizes and support students and teachers across Utah. deseret.com/opinion/2026/02/…

I am excited to announce that I will be running for reelection to the Utah House of Representatives. It is a decision I reached after a lot of thought, prayer, and long conversations around the dinner table with my family. I grew up in South Jordan. I love this community. It shaped who I am, and I chose to raise my kids here so they could have the same experiences and opportunities that shaped me. Utah gave me the chance to learn, serve, work, and build a life. I want to protect those opportunities and make sure our state remains a place where families can thrive. I want my kids, and yours, to grow up in a state that protects freedom, strengthens families, supports great schools, welcomes innovation, and prepares the next generation to build an even better future. That is why I chose to run for reelection. Serving our community in the House has been one of the greatest honors of my life. I am not afraid to take on tough issues, and I am not afraid to make adjustments when they are needed. Leadership requires both conviction and humility, and my goal has always been to listen, learn, and work toward results that make life better for the people I represent. Over the last few years we have advanced policies that keep Utah strong. We strengthened schools and supported educators with better pay and more resources. We delivered record investments in transportation infrastructure so families in the southwest valley can spend more time at home and less time sitting in traffic. We pushed for responsible growth, defended constitutional freedoms, supported families and parents, and led the nation in protecting kids from the harms of Big Tech. There is more work to do. We need to continue investing wisely in education, keep taxes low, support families, make it easier to live and work here, and ensure Utah stays a place of opportunity for the next generation. I hope to earn your support once again. Thank you for trusting me with this responsibility and for the chance to continue building a strong Utah for our children and grandchildren.

Vivek Ramaswamy is right. As Ronald Reagan taught, what makes an American is not merely birth, but the unique ability for anyone from anywhere to come here and become American by embracing freedom, opportunity, and allegiance to the constitution. Ours is a nation fueled by immigrants who assimilate into a shared civic culture, renewing America as a “nation forever young” and a “shining city on a hill.” That belief is foundational to what America is and what has made her exceptional. My ancestors came to this land generations ago. What made them American was not where they came from, but that they embraced the culture, values, and responsibilities of this country. That same expectation should apply today. Anyone who embraces those principles can fully become an American. The rise of “blood and soil” identity politics on the right, including groyperism, should be condemned without hesitation. It is un-American and deeply corrosive, just as identity politics on the left has been. America succeeds when we stand for liberty, hard work, and opportunity, not when we divide ourselves by race or lineage. That is the American dream, and it is worth defending. nytimes.com/2025/12/17/opini…

Statement on the Repeal of HB267: “HB267 was built on a simple principle: every public employee deserves a voice, not just union leadership. It proposed to end exclusive, behind-closed-doors collective bargaining that shut out many workers and restored transparency and accountability to decisions like pay raises and personnel policies, decisions that should be made by elected officials accountable to the people. The bill also included widely supported reforms, such as providing professional liability insurance for teachers, ending the practice of using public monies to pay for union activities, and clarifying that union bosses who are not public employees should not be able to take advantage of the Utah Retirement System. “These ideas remain just as important today as they were when the bill passed. However, it’s clear that the debate surrounding HB267 has been overshadowed by misinformation and unnecessary division. That was never the intent. Repealing the bill now allows us to step back, lower the temperature, and create space for a clearer and more constructive conversation. It also gives us the opportunity to build on the strong elements of HB267 with greater public understanding and broader engagement.” “Moving forward, I appreciate the willingness of Protect Utah Workers to engage in good faith, and I intend to work closely with union leaders, public employees, and Utahns across the state in the coming year to determine the best path forward. My focus is on developing policies that protects public workers, supports taxpayers, and keeps Utah’s public employment practices open, responsible, and grounded in good governance.” “Utah’s strength has always come from principled leadership carried out with steadiness and respect. The legislative process is intentionally iterative, and this is an example of that in practice. We listen, we adjust, and we refine policy as circumstances and understanding evolve. That willingness to engage openly with Utahns and improve our approach has always made Utah stronger. I will continue to approach the work ahead with clarity, consistency, and a deep sense of responsibility. By staying focused on sound governance and constructive dialogue, I am confident we can build a clearer and more effective path forward and continue making Utah an amazing place to live and work." #utpol