Ever wonder what’s really going on behind the scenes in Utah politics? From the Capitol to your headphones, Special Session with Bryan Schott breaks down the most important news stories from the world of Utah politics. Bryan Schott has been covering Utah politics for more than 25 years, digging into the stories that matter the most to you. He brings insights into politics and policy and interviews with newsmakers to help you understand what’s driving the latest headlines.
Episodes
Friday May 23, 2025
Friday May 23, 2025
Is the Utah Republican Party scheming to overturn SB54 and ditch signature gathering, restoring convention delegates as party gatekeepers?
Utah's members of Congress say they're fiscal conservatives, but they won't explain why they voted for the "big, beautiful bill" that blows a big, ugly $3.8 trillion hole in the budget.
A scary incident involving Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall underlines the danger of our current political moment.
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Sunday May 18, 2025
Sunday May 18, 2025
This week, we're wrapping up the 2025 Utah Republican Party Convention:
Rob Axson wins another term as party chair.
Where does Phil Lyman go from here?
It sure sounds like Utah Republicans are hatching a plan to repeal SB54 before the 2026 election.
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Friday May 09, 2025
Friday May 09, 2025
Utah lawmakers face off against Salt Lake City in a battle over Pride flags.
The state’s most successful signature gathering effort in history puts a union-busting bill on the ballot.
Could Donald Trump influence the future leadership of the Utah Republican party?
Plus, a deep dive into the upcoming GOP convention, where the party's direction hangs in the balance.
Also, some corrections from last week's episode.
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Friday May 02, 2025
Friday May 02, 2025
In this week's episode:
The Utah Legislature faces a tough reality as the referendum to overturn the anti-union bill surpasses its signature goal, signaling a significant pushback against Republican lawmakers. A judge's ruling that the state's private school voucher program is unconstitutional leaves legislative leaders scrambling to respond. With no veto override session on the horizon, Governor Spencer Cox's vetoes remain intact
Plus a conversation with former New Jersey Governor Christine Todd Whitman, co-founder of the Forward Party, as we discuss the recent merger with the United Utah Party and the unique structure of this new political entity. How will they navigate the challenges of a two-party system? What strategies will they employ to resonate with voters?
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Thursday Apr 17, 2025
Thursday Apr 17, 2025
In this week's episode:
- Unions collect 320,000 signatures for the referendum to overturn the union busting bill.
- Utah's economy earns praise from a conservative group, but dark clouds may be on the horizon.
- A Utah congressman visits a notorious prison in El Salvador.
- What is Jason Chaffetz up to?
- Mike Lee's bestie Elon Musk has a LOT of kids.
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Friday Apr 04, 2025
Friday Apr 04, 2025
In this week's episode:
- The Utah Legislature is poised to override a veto of a bill pushed by conspiracy theorists.
- What did the Utah Board of Education waste time on this week?
- A merger to create the 6th largest political party in Utah.
- The parallels between Sen. Mike Lee and Jar Jar Binks.
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Friday Mar 28, 2025
Friday Mar 28, 2025
In this week's episode:
👋 Sundance says farewell
🚫🏳️🌈 Utah is the first state to ban Pride flags and fluoride in drinking water
🗳️Gov. Spencer Cox nixes vote-by-mail
😳 The effort to overturn Utah's union busting bill gets off to an impressive start
👉 An update on my lawsuit against the Utah Legislature
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If you'd like to sponsor this podcast, email me at schott@utahpoliticalwatch.news
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Friday Mar 14, 2025
Friday Mar 14, 2025
In this week's episode:
- Could the Pride flag ban prompt the Sundance Film Festival to flee the state?
- Lawmakers quietly gut Utah's open records law.
- Freebies for lawmakers during the session.
- Utah is on the verge of letting the Cavity Creeps win.
My guest this week is Austin Archer. He's a Utah born actor, writer and online social media content creator. His social media posts lampooning conservatives and Trump voters have gained a large following.
He joins the show to talk about political satire, how he portrays Trump supporters and why conservatives aren't good at producing art.
Follow Austin on TikTok, and YouTube.
Sign up for my newsletter at Utah Political Watch for free, and consider becoming a paying subscriber to support my Utah politics coverage.
If there's a topic or guest you'd like to hear, drop me a line at schott@utahpoliticalwatch.news
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