Special Session with Bryan Schott

Utah Political Watch
  • 5.0 (26)
  • Politics
  • Updated Weekly

Special Session with Bryan Schott rips the curtain back on Utah politics. No spin. No access journalism. No bootlicking. Just 25+ years of experience breaking down the stories that make elected officials squirm. From backroom deals at the Capitol to the power plays you're not supposed to know about, Bryan delivers fearless political coverage and interviews with newsmakers who actually matter. This is Utah politics without the PR polish. Independent. Unfiltered. Uncomfortable for all the right people.

  1. 1d ago

    Maloy Plays Not to Lose, Udell Misses His Shots: CD3 Debate Watch Party

    Rep. Celeste Maloy and Democrat Kent Udell met at Utah Tech University in St. George for the only televised debate in Utah's new 3rd Congressional District, and Bryan Schott watched along live with commentary, fact-checks and viewer reactions. The verdict? Boring. Maloy, the incumbent, only needed to avoid stumbling, and she did. She leaned on her voting record and some well-worn talking points. Udell landed a few zingers, including "billionaires playing Minecraft" with data centers and a sharp comeback on forest management. But he passed up clear chances to make his case against her, most notably on her role in the public lands sale provision. __________ Hit the subscribe button to stay up-to-date on the latest Utah political news. 📰 For more Utah political coverage, go to UtahPolitics.news Sponsor the show. Email podcast@utahpolitics.news. Follow us on social media: Bluesky TikTok Instagram Facebook Threads X/Twitter LinkedIn

    Maloy Plays Not to Lose, Udell Misses His Shots: CD3 Debate Watch Party

  2. 4d ago

    CD1 Debate: Two Moderates Walk Into a Gerrymander

    Utah finally has a competitive congressional race, and Tuesday night the two candidates met on the debate stage. Democrat Ben McAdams and Republican Riley Owen faced off at Salt Lake Community College in the Utah Debate Commission's 1st Congressional District debate. It was the first debate for the new Democratic-leaning seat created after a court threw out the Legislature's gerrymandered map. We watched it live, and this episode is the recording of that livestream. The debate was mostly polite. The two agreed on more than you'd expect from a Democrat and a Republican in 2026. But they split on tariffs, the national debt and the maps that created the district. In this episode: Where McAdams and Owen agreed, and whether those agreements will last past Election Day The redistricting fight, and why neither candidate could avoid it The AI super PAC and data centers Owen's pitch as a Gen Z Republican who breaks with Trump on trade, immigration and AI Who helped themselves Tuesday night, and who didn't __________ Hit the subscribe button to stay up-to-date on the latest Utah political news. 📰 For more Utah political coverage, go to UtahPolitics.news Sponsor the show. Email podcast@utahpolitics.news. Follow us on social media: Bluesky TikTok Instagram Facebook Threads X/Twitter LinkedIn

    CD1 Debate: Two Moderates Walk Into a Gerrymander

  3. Sep 23

    Utah's Map is Built to Absorb a Democratic Wave Election

    In this episode: New Utah polling from Noble Predictive Insights Is a Democratic wave brewing ahead of November? How would a blue wave election impact Utah's legislative elections? Sen. John Curtis asks the Senate Judiciary Committee to investigate Donald Trump Jr.'s ties to a Russian oligarch Trump's press ban on CNN, MSNOW and Politico __________ Hit the subscribe button to stay up-to-date on the latest Utah political news. 📰 For more Utah political coverage, go to UtahPolitics.news Sponsor the show. Email podcast@utahpolitics.news. Follow us on social media: Bluesky TikTok Instagram Facebook Threads X/Twitter LinkedIn

  4. Sep 17

    Piano Bars to Protest Songs: Drew Ballard's Musical Activism

    Drew Ballard is a classically trained pianist with a 6,500-song repertoire who spent over a decade performing in piano bars and has recently turned that same instinct for what makes a crowd sing along toward political parody. Known online as Druby.tunes, Drew produces biting takes on well-known songs aimed at corporate exploitation and government malfeasance in Utah. We talk about the leap from concert competitions to bar requests, the data center fight that pushed him into activism, his songwriting process, and what it's like being a leftist vegan atheist from a Mormon farm family in central Utah. Follow Drew on social media: @drewbie.tunes __________ Hit the subscribe button to stay up-to-date on the latest Utah political news. 📰 For more Utah political coverage, go to UtahPolitics.news Sponsor the show. Email podcast@utahpolitics.news. Follow us on social media: Bluesky TikTok Instagram Facebook Threads X/Twitter LinkedIn

  5. Sep 10

    The $20 Million Race Car Nobody Told You About

    On this episode: Exclusive investigation: The Mormon Meteor 3. The state paid $20 million for the historic race car now displayed at the new Museum of Utah—$10 million from taxpayers, obtained via open records request. Gov. Spencer Cox's new book, Off Ramp: How to Be a Peacemaker in an Age of Contempt, arrived minutes before taping. Live unboxing and first reactions. Charlie Kirk, one year later.   __________ Hit the subscribe button to stay up-to-date on the latest Utah political news. 📰 For more Utah political coverage, go to UtahPolitics.news Sponsor the show. Email podcast@utahpolitics.news. Follow us on social media: Bluesky TikTok Instagram Facebook Threads X/Twitter LinkedIn

  6. Sep 9

    Charlie Kirk's Legacy: One Year Later

    One year after Charlie Kirk was shot and killed at Utah Valley University, host Bryan Schott sits down with journalist Jared Holt to unpack the battle over Kirk's legacy — and how it's been playing out very differently depending on who's telling the story. On one side: a sanitized, martyr-like version of Kirk pushed by Turning Point USA and Fox News. On the other: a mocking, AI-generated "Kirkification" meme culture that has spread across the internet, and a conspiracy-fueled counter-narrative led by Candace Owens that has put Turning Point on the defensive for most of the past year. Holt traces Kirk's evolution from a "watered-down," establishment-friendly college-campus conservative in the 2016 era to the harder-edged, immigration-focused figure—and MAGA "kingmaker"—he'd become by the time of his death, arguing that turning his assassination into a political weapon against the left was, in a sense, the most faithful tribute to what Kirk actually stood for. The two also discuss whether anyone (Jack Posobiec? Nick Fuentes?) can fill the vacuum Kirk left in a MAGA movement Holt describes as increasingly disjointed and without a clear center of gravity; how right-wing and conspiracy-minded audiences are approaching the Tyler Robinson murder trial differently; and what to watch for at this week's UVU memorial event, emceed by Glenn Beck. Jared Holt on Bluesky Posting Through It Podcast Open Measures   __________ Hit the subscribe button to stay up-to-date on the latest Utah political news. 📰 For more Utah political coverage, go to UtahPolitics.news Sponsor the show. Email podcast@utahpolitics.news. Follow us on social media: Bluesky TikTok Instagram Facebook Threads X/Twitter LinkedIn

  7. Sep 2

    Disagree Better, Except About Insurrections

    On this episode of "Special Session": 📊 Utah House & Senate Race Ratings Updated 🗳️ Senate District 11 Becomes a Head-to-Head Race 📬 USPS Whistleblower Report on Mail-In Ballots 📖 Spencer Cox's New Book, Off-Ramp ⚖️ Two More Appointments to the Utah Supreme Court __________ Hit the subscribe button to stay up-to-date on the latest Utah political news. 📰 For more Utah political coverage, go to UtahPolitics.news Sponsor the show. Email podcast@utahpolitics.news. Follow us on social media: Bluesky TikTok Instagram Facebook Threads X/Twitter LinkedIn

  8. Aug 27

    Tina Cannon is Not Backing Down

    On this episode of Special Session: Outgoing Senate President Stuart Adams threatens legal action against four critics, including State Auditor Tina Cannon. Her lawyer fires back with one of the sharpest legal smackdowns of the year. Breaking down an absolutely chaotic seven-hour meeting of the Salt Lake County GOP Central Committee, including an attempt to oust the party chair, secret ballots and "election observers." What Monday's Supreme Court ruling on mail-in voting could mean for vote-by-mail in Utah. Enes Kanter Freedom's WNBA sideshow, with an assist from Sen. Mike Lee. (This is a recording of a livestream that aired on 9/25/2026) __________ Hit the subscribe button to stay up-to-date on the latest Utah political news. 📰 For more Utah political coverage, go to UtahPolitics.news Sponsor the show. Email podcast@utahpolitics.news. Follow us on social media: Bluesky TikTok Instagram Facebook Threads X/Twitter LinkedIn

    Tina Cannon is Not Backing Down
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About

Special Session with Bryan Schott rips the curtain back on Utah politics. No spin. No access journalism. No bootlicking. Just 25+ years of experience breaking down the stories that make elected officials squirm. From backroom deals at the Capitol to the power plays you're not supposed to know about, Bryan delivers fearless political coverage and interviews with newsmakers who actually matter. This is Utah politics without the PR polish. Independent. Unfiltered. Uncomfortable for all the right people.

Information

  • Creator
    Utah Political Watch
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    91
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026, All Rights Reserved
  • Show Website
    Special Session with Bryan Schott

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