Republican

SALT LAKE CITY — If Utah does not get control over federal lands within its borders, two local lawmakers worry, it could severely impact the state’s economy in the long run.

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. -- Jon Huntsman abandoned his once-promising campaign for the Republican presidential nomination on Monday and endorsed Mitt Romney as the man "best equipped to defeat Barack Obama"' in the fall.

The former Utah governor coupled his announcement with an appeal to the remaining contenders to stop attacking one another in television commercials. "At its core, the Republican Party is a party of ideas, but the current toxic form of our political discourse does not help our cause," he said.

He noted that he and Romney have had their differences, and he did not respond to questions when asked if he still believes -- as he said while campaigning for last week's New Hampshire primary -- that the former Massachusetts governor is out of touch and unelectable.

OGDEN — The December meeting of the Weber County Republican Women will be held at noon Dec. 5 at Jeremiah’s Restaurant, 1207 W. 12th St.

The speaker for the luncheon will be Rep. Ken Ivory, R-West Jordan, who will discuss “The Line Between National, State and Local Governments.”

SALT LAKE CITY — Sen. Orrin Hatch and his campaign team have heard enough from their most vocal critics and are fighting back, lambasting the leaders of FreedomWorks and the Club for Growth as hypocrites and political has-beens struggling to remain relevant.

The groups counter that Hatch's broadside is "a sign of weakness" and an attempt to shift the conversation away from past votes that may derail his 2012 re-election bid.

PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer faces a Wednesday deadline for asking the U.S. Supreme Court to accept her appeal of a ruling that put on hold key parts of the state's immigration enforcement law.