Utah Gov. Spencer Cox is expected to win re-election after his surprise endorsement of Trump

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Utah Gov. Spencer Cox is expected to easily win reelection in the deep red state, but his surprise election has led to that back to Donald Trump This year, voters are wondering what to expect over the next four years from a leader they long considered a moderate Republican.

Cox is favored to win over Democrat Brian King, a trial lawyer and state representative who served as minority leader in the Utah House of Representatives for eight years.

The governor also faces conservative candidate Phil Lyman, who urged his supporters to vote for him over Cox after he lost the Republican primary in June. Lyman's campaign is threatening to withdraw Republican support from Cox, but that likely won't be enough to sway the outcome.

While moderate Republicans have historically performed well in statewide elections in Utah, Cox has recently tried to convince voters that he is more conservative than his record shows.

The governor confused voters and political observers when he pledged his support to Trump after the campaign Assassination attempt in July about the former president. Cox did not vote for Trump in 2016 or 2020.

Cox's sudden about-face has jeopardized his reputation with his moderate voter base, but has likely done little to win over supporters of Trump's “Make America Great Again” movement, of which there are many Cox booed at this year's GOP state convention.

The governor has worked hard in the months since he endorsed Trump. In September, he reaffirmed his commitment to Trump despite the former president coming under scrutiny for his increased anti-immigrant rhetoric – behavior that Cox said he hoped Trump would abandon when he endorsed him in July.

Cox also appeared with Trump on the campaign trail and at Arlington National Cemetery, where each appearance sparked controversy. After Trump's staff had an altercation with a cemetery official, Cox Rules broken — and likely federal law — in using a graveside photo featuring Trump in a campaign fundraising email.

Trump, in turn, has not endorsed Cox's bid for a second term as governor.

Polling stations nationwide open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m