Utah Republican Gov. Spencer Cox pledges Trump his support after saying last week he wouldn’t vote for him

By Kate Sullivan, CNN

(CNN) — Utah Gov. Spencer Cox on Friday pledged his support to former President Donald Trump in a notable shift after telling CNN last week he would not vote for Trump in November and hadn’t voted for him in 2016 or 2020.

Cox told Trump in a letter he posted on X that God “had a hand in saving you,” after the attempt on the former president’s life at his Pennsylvania rally last weekend. “Your life was spared. Now, because of that miracle, you have the opportunity to do something that no other person on earth can do right now: unify and save our country,” he wrote.

Cox’s vow to do his “best to help and support” Trump comes the day after the former president formally accepted the Republican Party’s nomination for a third consecutive election, further cementing his hold on and vision for the party. It marks a departure from his previous criticism of the former president.

Cox told CNN’s Kaitlan Collins last week on “The Source” that he would not vote for either presidential candidate this year, noting Trump’s role in the January 6, 2021, insurrection at the US Capitol as a concern. He had not voted for the top of the GOP ticket since 2012, Cox told Collins.

In his letter, Cox said he was impressed with the statements Trump and former first lady Melania Trump made following the assassination attempt, saying that “there was strength in those words, and also humility. It was a side of you most of us have not seen, and it gave so many of us tremendous hope for the future of our country.”

The governor noted differences between himself and his party’s nominee, writing: “Mr. President, I know we have some differences and you probably don’t like me much. And that’s OK. I get it. I’m not writing this letter looking for a position in your Cabinet or a role on your team. But I have loved so many of your policies and firmly believe that our country has suffered over the last four years due to a lack of leadership and is in desperate need of change.”

Trump, he wrote, has “a chance to build a coalition of support that our country has not seen since Ronald Reagan.”

“And you don’t have to compromise on a single conservative policy in order to do it. By treating President Biden with basic human dignity and respect and by emphasizing unity rather than hate, you will win this election by an historic margin and become one of our nation’s most transformational leaders,” Cox said.

He continued, “By extending an olive branch to voters who are open to persuasion and ignoring the extremists, you can solidify a legacy as one of the most important presidents in our nation’s 250-year history. You can make your success, in leading our country to a new era of peace, unity, and prosperity, the greatest way to silence your critics.”

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