Spencer Cox - Wiki, Education, Net Worth, Facts, Family & More

Spencer Cox (full name Spencer James Cox) is an American lawyer and politician who has served as Utah’s 18th governor since 2021. Cox is a Republican who served as Utah’s eighth lieutenant governor from 2013 to 2021. In 2004, Cox was elected to the city council, and the following year, he was elected mayor. Cox was elected as a Sanpete County commissioner in 2008 after overseeing rural economic development in Fairview. In 2012, he was elected to the Utah House of Representatives.

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Spencer Cox’s net worth and personal info

Spencer Cox has an estimated net worth of around $1 million- $5 million dollars, as of 2021. Find out more about the Governor of Utah’s income sources here.

Cox grew up on a farm in Fairview, the oldest of eight children. Spencer and his wife, Abby, have four children and are currently living in Fairview on their family farm. In a garage band, Cox plays the bass guitar. Travis Osmond, the son of Merrill Osmond, his brother-in-law, taught him how to play the bass. Mike McKell, the state representative, is also one of Spencer’s brothers-in-law. Jon Cox, Cox’s fourth cousin, took over as Utah House of Representatives Speaker.

Spencer Cox Early Life and Education

Cox spent his childhood in Sanpete County and attended North Sanpete High School. While attending Snow College, he used to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Mexico. During this time, he married his high school sweetheart, Abby, who also attended Snow College.

He later attended Utah State University (USU) after graduating with an associate’s degree, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and Abby earned a bachelor’s degree in special education. Cox received the honor of Student of the Year at USU and graduated with a 4.0 GPA. Despite being accepted to Harvard Law School, Cox chose to attend Washington and Lee University School of Law, where he earned his Juris Doctor.

Spencer Cox Career

Cox clerked for Judge Ted Stewart of the United States District Court for the District of Utah after graduating from law school. Following his clerkship, Cox joined the Salt Lake City law firm, Fabian and Clendenin. He returned to rural Utah and joined CentraCom as a vice president.

Cox was elected to the Fairview City Council in 2004, and then to the mayoralty the following year. He was elected as a Sanpete County commissioner in 2008. Cox was elected to the Utah House of Representatives in 2012 and was the first member to call for the impeachment of Utah Attorney General John Swallow for campaign finance violations. Governor Herbert’s Rural Partnership Board was co-chaired by Cox and Lieutenant Governor Bell.

Following Bell’s resignation in October 2013, Herbert appointed Cox as lieutenant governor. On October 15, his nomination was unanimously approved by the Utah Senate’s Government Operations Confirmation Committee. The following day, the full Utah Senate unanimously confirmed him and swore him in. As lieutenant governor, Cox prepared a report on Swallow’s financial interests, demonstrating that Swallow had failed to properly disclose all of his income and business interests. Swallow resigned before the report was released.

In the 2016 Utah gubernatorial election, Cox was elected to a full term as Herbert’s running mate.

Cox announced his candidacy for the Republican nomination for governor of Utah in 2020 on May 14, 2019, following Herbert’s announcement that he would not seek reelection. Cox received 36.4 percent of the vote in the Republican primary, while former Governor Jon Huntsman Jr. received 34.6 percent. Cox defeated the Democratic Party’s nominee, Chris Peterson, in the general election in November.