4 takeaways from Gov. Spencer Cox's new book, "Off Ramp"
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Gov. Spencer Cox in September 2025. Photo: Michael Ciaglo/Getty Images
Gov. Spencer Cox's new book, "Off Ramp: How to Be a Peacemaker in an Age of Contempt," hits bookshelves Tuesday — just two days before the one-year anniversary of Charlie Kirk's killing at a Utah college campus.
Why it matters: The Republican governor became a national figure last year for his measured response to Kirk's death, calling for an end to political polarization in the U.S. — sharply contrasting President Trump.
- Cox built his platform on how to "disagree better."
- Part memoir, part guide, the book offers his ideas for toning down divisive rhetoric, as well as his attempts to find common ground on both sides of the aisle.
Here are four takeaways from the book:
1. Cox felt isolated after endorsing Trump
In his book, Cox writes about the political fallout of his Trump endorsement in 2024, calling it "dark and lonely."
Context: Cox did not endorse or vote for President Trump in 2016 or 2020.
Yes, but: He had a change of heart after Trump's attempted political assassination in Pennsylvania and shared his letter of support to the president.
- "Some of my closest friends begged me to change my mind," he writes.
- He told one person he prayed about the decision. That person responded by telling him to pray about it again.
- Former state Sen. Stuart Reid, an anti-Trump Republican, authored an open letter in the Salt Lake Tribune that said Cox had lost his credibility and relinquished his honor.
The latest: Cox says his bridge-building efforts led to a 90-minute meeting with Trump and a $1 billion White House pledge to help the Great Salt Lake.
2. He told Biden to consider pardoning Trump
During then-President Biden's final visit to Utah, Cox urged him to pardon Trump, saying it could help heal the country's political divisions.
- To his surprise, Biden told Cox he had considered it and even talked about it with first lady Jill Biden.
- In the end, Trump was not among Biden's list of pardons.
3. Cox regrets fighting contempt with contempt
While running for reelection in 2024, Cox was booed during his speech at the Republican state convention, where delegates tend to lean further right.
Context: Cox, often labeled a "RINO," short for "Republican in name only," has faced criticism from the party's right wing for his moderate approach.
Catch up quick: During the speech, Cox quipped: "Maybe you hate that I don't hate enough," which elicited jeers.
- "I was wrong," he writes. "I dismissed those who opposed me as 'less than' and put myself on a pedestal above them. I didn't change a single heart or mind."
4. Congress won't save us
Cox makes a plea to Americans to tone down political tensions in an increasingly polarized nation, adding that change "will never come solely from the Oval Office or the halls of Congress."
- "It won't come from governors or mayors. This has to come from you. From us."
Reality check: A majority of Republicans and Democrats view the other party as "close-minded," per a Pew Research Center study.
The bottom line: Cox remains optimistic that Americans have the power to "make this nation even better," by changing the way they disagree with one another.