Special Session with Bryan Schott

Utah Political Watch
  • 5.0 (25)
  • 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. 23h ago

    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

  2. 2d ago

    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

  3. 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

  4. 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

  5. Aug 19

    The Great Data Center Backlash

    In this episode: New polling shows Donald Trump, Gov. Spencer Cox, Sens. Mike Lee and John Curtis all underwater with Utah voters. We break down why the Deseret News's explanation for those falling numbers is wrong. An update on the ongoing First Amendment lawsuit against the Utah Legislature over press credentials. An analysis shows Utahns love vote-by-mail. Utah's looming Medicaid funding shortage. A Mike Lee fundraising email that quietly keeps 96% of donations. Utah lands at the bottom of the rankings for women's equality for the 12th straight year. The backlash against data centers goes viral with an outrageous ad from Jason Kelsey. (This is a recording of a livestream that aired on 8/19/2026)   __________ 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

  6. Aug 14

    Should Democrats Drop Out in Red States to Win? — with G. Elliot Morris

    Bryan Schott sits down with G. Elliott Morris—former lead data editor at 538, now running the election-data newsletter Strength in Numbers and the forecasting site 50 Plus One—to dig into a trend reshaping red-state politics: Democrats stepping aside so an independent can take on the GOP one-on-one. They start with Morris's recent analysis of Montana's three-way Senate race, where independent Seth Bodnar is outpolling Democrat Alani Bankhead against Republican Kurt Alme—and only pulls ahead of the Republican once the Democrat exits the equation. Bryan draws the direct line to Utah's 2022 Senate race, when Democrats cleared the field for independent Evan McMullin against Mike Lee, and the two trace the same dynamic playing out in Nebraska with independent Dan Osborne. From there, the conversation widens into the numbers driving the 2026 midterms: Trump's state-by-state approval collapse (including in Utah), the "affordability problem" dragging down his presidency, and why Morris's forecast gives Democrats an 85% chance of retaking the House and a 55% chance of flipping the Senate—plus how mid-decade redistricting has already cost Democrats roughly six House seats. It's Utah Political Watch's 2nd birthday! To celebrate, get 20% off a full-year subscription through the end of August at https://utahpolitics.news/2ndbirthday __________ 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

    Should Democrats Drop Out in Red States to Win? — with G. Elliot Morris

  7. Aug 12

    Mr. Wonderful Admits His Data Center Pitch Was Not, In Fact, Wonderful

    On this week's episode: The SAVE Act is dead (for now). Mike Lee's voter-ID bill couldn't get 50 votes, let alone the 60 needed to break a filibuster Kevin O'Leary's mea culpa. The investor tells MS Now his team botched the rollout of Utah's controversial Box Elder County data center, an issue that helped sink Senate President Stuart Adams' reelection campaign. Mendenhall on the Democratic Socialist debate. Salt Lake City's mayor says Democrats shouldn't let their agenda be purely reactive to Trump Mike Lee's fundraising math. A joint fundraising email soliciting money for four GOP Senate candidates routes most of the money straight back to Lee's own campaign. Utah Political Watch just turned two, powered entirely by readers and listeners. To celebrate, get 20% off a year-long subscription through the end of August: $44 instead of $55. Use code 2NDBIRTHDAY at utahpolitics.news. If you enjoy the show, subscribe and leave a review. It's the easiest way to help more people find it. __________ 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 5

    Mike Lee sees dead people

    On this episode: Sen. Mike Lee's SAVE America Act is stalled in the Senate, so he's recruiting dead people to try and resurrect the bill. He invoked Charlie Kirk on social media this week, just a few weeks after doing the same thing with Lindsey Graham. Federal Judge Robert Shelby rules Utah's gambling ban isn't preempted by federal commodities law, dealing the prediction-market Kalshi a major loss, with an appeal likely. Utah Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson highlights the Justice Department's 0-20 record suing states over voter rolls, plus the administration's renewed push to restrict vote-by-mail through USPS. Medicaid work requirements from last year's federal budget bill are set to take effect in 2027, with state officials estimating roughly 40,000 Utahns will lose coverage. Sen. John Curtis backs Todd Blanche for attorney general and takes heat from the right over his temporary-worker visa bill. Diarrhea lettuce and salmonella jalapeños. __________ 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

    Mike Lee sees dead people
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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
    87
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026, All Rights Reserved
  • Show Website
    Special Session with Bryan Schott

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