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Today’s newsletter is 997 words — a 4-minute read.

Republicans in Utah lost more ground in last week's U.S. House races than in any other state, compared with the 2022 midterms.

Why it matters: It's the closest the state has come to turning "Bluetah" — a development Democrats have long awaited as demographic change and transplants from other states have previously failed to nudge the GOP's hold in Utah elections.

The intrigue: The shift was so extreme that Utah's new congressional maps, court-ordered last year to reverse GOP gerrymandering, may have actually saved Republicans a seat by concentrating Democrats in a single district, per a recent FOX 13 analysis.

By the numbers: Utah's U.S. House vote totals swung about 30 points toward Democrats since 2022 — the nation's biggest shift, per data journalist Nate Silver.

• As of yesterday, total Republican votes in the four races had fallen from nearly 671,000 in 2022 to about 478,000 this year.
• Democrats held almost 474,000 votes this year, up from 342,000 in 2022.

Zoom out: The reddest states had the most Republican votes to lose — a factor in the next four states that shifted the most, per Silver: North Dakota, Alabama, Indiana and Mississippi. 

Stunning stat: Statewide, GOP House candidates led Democrats by less than half of a percentage point.

Zoom in: In the newly created District 1, Ben McAdams had gotten more than 70% of the vote.

• None of the GOP winners in the other three districts reached 60%.

Between the lines: The outcome raises the possibility that Democrats could have flipped more congressional seats under the old maps in last week's nationwide blue "tsunami."

• A precinct-level review shows Democrats would have won two races under the old maps — though all four would have been extremely close, FOX 13 reported.

Reality check: Democrats would have had to defend those seats again in 2028 — possibly without the same level of opposition to a lame-duck president, which led to last week's massive congressional realignment.

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Gov. Cox reflected on Utah's blue wave yesterday, saying the results so far send a clear message that elected officials "need to listen more" to voters.

The big picture: The rising cost of living and lack of local input on the proposed massive data center in Box Elder County have been top of mind for many voters.

By the numbers: If current numbers hold, Democrats are expected to flip more than a dozen seats in the Utah House, demolishing the GOP's supermajority in the chamber for the first time in more than 30 years.

What they're saying: "When you see this kind of political change in legislative districts across our state, I believe we have an obligation to look closely," Cox told reporters during his monthly news conference.

• Cox said Utah voters have expressed anxiety about the cost of housing, growth and development, including data centers, and government transparency.

Case in point: Cox also pointed to a controversial bill passed last year that sought to ban collective bargaining for public sector employees amid widespread opposition from teachers, firefighters and police officers.

The big picture: Utah voters named housing affordability and politicians' failure to listen to constituents as the two top issues in a 2024 report by the Utah Foundation.

What we're watching: Cox said he expects the Utah House losing its veto-proof majority to lead to a more collaborative policy-making process.

• "I think this is going to be a different kind of session than what we've seen in the past," he said.

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⚖️ Utah Judge Tony Graf has scheduled a June 2028 trial date for Tyler Robinson, the 23-year-old man accused of fatally shooting Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University last year. (FOX 13)

🐝 The city is installing seven new bee sculptures to represent each of its council districts ahead of the Salt Lake Temple open house. (KSL)

💰 Utah was awarded $192 million in federal grants to improve health care access in rural parts of the state. (Utah News Dispatch)

Veterans made up 4.4% of Utah's adult population last year — one of the lowest shares in the nation, according to the latest Census data.

The big picture: The Beehive State's veteran population falls below the national average, in part because many people serve missions for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints shortly after graduating high school.

By the numbers: States with the greatest shares of veterans are Alaska (9.7%), Virginia (9.0%) and Montana (8.6%), according to the census.

• New York (3.3%), New Jersey (3.4%) and Washington, D.C. (3.5%) had the lowest share.

How it works: That's among civilians 18 and older, according to 2025 American Community Survey.

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Having sampled from virtually every donut hawker in Salt Lake, I gotta say: Downtown's veteran-owned Eats Bakery is up there with the very, very best.

What's inside: A menu of gourmet pastries and donuts that rival some of Salt Lake's faves.

• The brown sugar bourbon creme brulee is one of the best donuts I've ever eaten, with the crunchy topping giving way to mounds of cream filling.
• The pistachio cake donut was almost as moist and toothsome as a yeast donut.

Between the lines: The donuts are priced like those at Sidecar, with some in the $5 range — but my whole family agreed the value was higher, with big, filling pastries that we struggled to finish in one sitting.

The bottom line: Head to 248 E. 100 South for a Veterans Day indulgence.

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🍽️ Kim gave her dining table — the most important piece of furniture in her home — a necessary revamp.

🇺🇸 Erin is wishing a good Veterans Day tomorrow to her brother, who is in the Navy.

This newsletter was edited by Jodie Lau.