Utah Governor Spencer Cox has long positioned himself as a champion of bipartisanship and civility, launching initiatives like “Disagree Better” to promote dialogue across political divides and urging Americans to lower the heated rhetoric that fuels division. For years, he has advocated for unity in a polarized nation, writing open letters to figures like Donald Trump after assassination attempts, imploring them to unify rather than inflame tensions. This approach stems from his belief in the “Utah Way” of compromise and moral character in politics, as evidenced by his service projects and national speeches emphasizing empathy over enmity. However, critics argue this relentless push for de-escalation often comes at the expense of steadfast conservative principles, portraying Cox as more interested in appeasing opponents than defending core Republican values like limited government and traditional social norms.

As a self-described “squish Republican,” Cox has repeatedly caved on key conservative stances, embracing what many on the right decry as “woke” trends in a bid to appear moderate and compassionate. In 2022, he vetoed a bill banning transgender girls from female school sports, expressing sympathy for the LGBTQ+ community and stating, “To those hurting tonight: It’s going to OK,” a move that drew sharp rebukes from hardline conservatives who labeled him “woke” and accused him of prioritizing progressive sensitivities over fairness in women’s athletics. Despite supporting Utah’s near-total abortion ban, his overall record—including endorsements from dark money conservative PACs while vetoing bills only when politically expedient—has painted him as a leader who bends to cultural winds rather than upholding unyielding principles. This pattern of accommodation, from social media regulations aimed at protecting youth to his criticism of figures like Tucker Carlson as “cowardly” for promoting division, underscores a governorship that often dilutes conservative orthodoxy in favor of broad appeal and bridge-building.

Yet, Cox’s response to the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk on September 10, 2025, at Utah Valley University—where 22-year-old suspect Tyler Robinson, described by Cox as “deeply indoctrinated with leftist ideology,” was arrested after a 33-hour manhunt—represents a new low in craven weakness that has shocked even his detractors. Rather than directly attributing blame to the radical left-wing motivations evident in Robinson’s actions, including engraved ammunition and family reports of his growing political animus toward Kirk, Cox focused on vague calls for unity, warning against conspiracy theories and “ugly” online reactions while lamenting that the killer was “one of us” from a local Mormon family. This obfuscation of ideological accountability, amid a wave of political violence including attempts on Trump and attacks on Democratic figures, sidesteps the shooter’s clear leftist radicalization and instead promotes an “off-ramp” from hostility that many see as excusing the very ideologies driving such acts. For most sane Americans, this evasion in the face of a politically motivated murder crosses a dangerous line, undermining justice and emboldening further division by refusing to confront the root causes head-on.