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Midterm Results: This doesn’t mean Americans love Democrats

What did voters actually say on Tuesday? We asked a Democratic strategist and a conservative commentator the day after. They didn’t agree on everything, but they agreed on more than you might expect.

Swipe through for the top takeaways, then listen to the full episode in the thread below.

[Brigham Tomco @BrighamTomco]

What is going on in Provo?

The south half of Provo, Utah swung FIFTY-FOUR percentage points toward Democrats in the U.S. House District 3 race in the 2026 midterms compared to 2022.

This translated to 27-point shift in state House District 62, replacing 6-term incumbent Republican Rep. Norm Thurston with 27-year-old Democrat David Chappell.

Chappell is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, he told me. But he said he does not identify as a socialist. He prefers "progressive independent."

Talk about a blue wave.

[Brigham Tomco @BrighamTomco]

Utah Democrats are convinced the midterms make Sen. Mike Lee vulnerable in 2028.

The case goes like this: Utah Democrats almost won a majority of U.S. House popular vote in 2026. By 2028, Trump will be even less popular. With the right Talarico-esque candidate, Utah could be competitive.

Utah Democrats' "blutah" optimism earns little more than a scoff from Lee’s camp.

"Good luck with that,” Dan Hauser, chief political strategist to Lee, told my colleague, @cami_mondeaux. "If Dems want to light millions of dollars on fire in search of fools gold, have at it."

Big donors and a national spotlight on Utah does not change the fact that the Democratic-backed, well-known and well-funded independent Evan McMullin still lost to Lee by double digits in 2022.

Is a purple Utah political fantasy or impending political fact? Read my full story below.

[Cami Mondeaux @cami_mondeaux]

New: Utah saw the biggest shift toward Democrats in the midterm elections — and it's made local Dems optimistic they can continue that trend to unseat Mike Lee in 2028

Lee has already filed for reelection and plans to run again, I'm told — and his message to Dems? "Good luck with that."

"I understand they need hope in the donor pool to be able to fundraise but we will run a campaign that resonates with Utahns," Lee's chief strategist Dan Hauser told me. "We are confident in Senator Lee’s chances for victory but if Dems want to light millions of dollars on fire in search of fools gold, have at it."

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A mother-daughter team rebooted a small-time Utah business for a digital age, and never looked back. | By Mark Dee

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https://t.co/PVg5g59Q1Q

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“On this Veterans Day, let all Americans pause to give thanks — to those currently serving, to the veterans, especially the roughly 30,000 World War II vets still alive, and most of all to God for preserving the nation for 250 years,” The Deseret News Editorial Board writes.

Read more in the post below.

✏️: The Deseret News Editorial Board
🎨: Eliza Anderson, Deseret News

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“Recent market drops aren't just election jitters. Tech giants have overbuilt infrastructure into territory where each new dollar returns less than the last,” Michael Kofoed writes.

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https://t.co/onMU0IRrRF

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Several restaurants are offering free meals for veterans and current military personnel. | By Lottie Elizabeth Johnson

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@BrighamTomco https://t.co/RplTXNGBOs

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The blue wave crashed into Utah, flipping more than 15 state House seats. Democrats see it as a step toward turning Utah purple. | By @BrighamTomco

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https://t.co/nRt6VZlk6k

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If you’re in search of your next read, celebrities like Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon and Jenna Bush Hager have you covered. | By Valerie Jones

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During his ministry in South America, Latter-day Saint apostle Elder Ulisses Soares joined various religious leaders in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to hear Pope Leo XIV call for human dignity, dialogue and peace. | By Amy Ortiz

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A former Bureau of Reclamation study predicted Lake Powell will hit dead pool elevations, when water in a reservoir is so low that it can’t deliver water downstream, in April of next year.

Did the rains delay that? Experts have different ideas of what to do if that happens.

Read more in the thread below.

✏️: Leah Bowers, Deseret News
📸: Kristin Murphy, Deseret News and Spenser Heaps, Deseret News