State of Utah Archives: on Free Trade


Craig Bowden: Free Trade

Support free trade, but NAFTA is not free trade Q: Do you agree or disagree with the statement, "Support & expand free trade"?

A: Absolutely.

Q: Does that mean you support NAFTA as-is, or would you change it?

Source: OnTheIssues follow-up with 2018 Utah Senate candidate Mar 1, 2018

Gary Herbert: Assist Utah companies with global vision for export growth

To accelerate job creation across the state, we must focus on three key areas: First, we must increase access to capital, for our small and start up businesses. We must ensure that the Utah Fund of Funds, created by the Legislature three years ago, is focused on assisting UTAH companies. Second, we must expand our GLOBAL vision. Utah's export growth is the strongest in the nation. To ensure a continued focus on international business, I challenge Lew Cramer and other international business leaders to double Utah exports in the next five years. Third, I urge the Legislature to pass Senator Ralph Okerlund's Business Expansion and Retention bill to support companies throughout rural Utah. Utah has been recognized time and again as a pro-business state, for the first time in our state's history, a #1 ranking from Forbes as the "Best State for Business and Careers" in America.
Source: 2011 Utah State of the State Address Jan 26, 2011

Mike Lee: Power over foreign trade as little as over interstate tr

I've come to believe that the federal government's too big and too expensive. Our founding fathers put together a national government under the auspices of the Constitution. That document gave decidedly, intentionally limited powers to our natio government. Our national government was supposed to be in charge of just a few basic things, including things like national defense, immigration, regulation of interstate and foreign trade, and protecting trademarks, copyrights, and patents.
Source: KCPW Utah Senate Radio Debate on Politics Up Close Jun 4, 2010

Mike Lee: Power over foreign trade as little as over interstate tr

I've come to believe that the federal government's too big and too expensive. Our founding fathers put together a national government under the auspices of the Constitution. That document gave decidedly, intentionally limited powers to our natio government. Our national government was supposed to be in charge of just a few basic things, including things like national defense, immigration, regulation of interstate and foreign trade, and protecting trademarks, copyrights, and patents. It was never supposed to be all things to all people. It was never supposed to be everyone's health care provider of first and last resort or lender of first and last resort. The government is not a business. Governments and businesses are two v different things because the government, you see, can't create wealth so it can't create real, meaningful, lasting jobs that will expand our economy. Only individuals can create wealth and they will whenever government stays out of their way.
Source: KCPW Utah Senate Radio Debate on Politics Up Close Jun 4, 2010

Mike Pence: Vote against USMCA was a vote against jobs

American people deserve to know Senator Kamala Harris was one of only 10 members of the Senate to vote against the USMCA (US-Mexico-Canada Agreement). It was a huge win for American auto workers. It was a huge win for American farmers. But Senator you said it didn't go far enough on climate change, you put your radical environmental agenda ahead of American jobs.
Source: 2020 Vice-Presidential Debate in Utah Oct 7, 2020

Orrin Hatch: Supports USMCA trade agreement to replace NAFTA

The USMCA is a new trade pact among the United States, Mexico and Canada, intended as a stronger and modernized replacement for the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-UT): "I am pleased that the Trump administration was able to strike a deal to modernize NAFTA with both Mexico and Canada. Maintaining a trilateral North American deal is an important prerequisite to preserving and extending those gains."

Source: White House press release "USMCA" in 2018 Utah Senate race Oct 2, 2018

Spencer Cox: Led trade mission to Israel & United Arab Emirates

The Trade Office of the UAE Embassy in Washington, DC hosted Utah Governor Spencer J. Cox and a high-level state delegation to Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Governor Cox noted the delegation arrived in the UAE following meetings in Israel. He emphasized the unlimited bilateral and multilateral commercial opportunities now possible between Utah, the Emirates, and Israel due to the Abraham Accords, the diplomatic normalization agreement signed two years ago between the UAE and Israel.
Source: P.R. Newswire press release 2024 Utah Gubernatorial race Sep 21, 2022

Brad Wilson: There's a lot of opportunity for us to partner with Taiwan

[On Taiwan]: "One of the things we learned is there's a lot of opportunity for us to partner with Taiwan," Wilson said. "And some of those tech businesses as they stand up partnerships, in particular in the Intermountain West." He says the island country is interested in partnerships and joint ventures not just in the United States, but in Utah as well.
Source: KSL News Radio on 2024 Utah Senate race Apr 7, 2023

  • The above quotations are from State of Utah Politicians: Archives.
  • Click here for definitions & background information on Free Trade.
  • Click here for other issues (main summary page).
2024 Presidential contenders on Free Trade:
  Candidates for President & Vice-President:
V.P.Kamala Harris (D-CA)
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.(I-CA)
Chase Oliver(L-GA)
Dr.Jill Stein(D-MA)
Former Pres.Donald Trump(R-FL)
Sen.J.D.Vance(R-OH)
Gov.Tim Walz(D-MN)
Dr.Cornel West(I-NJ)

2024 presidential primary contenders:
Pres.Joe_Biden(D-DE)
N.D.Gov.Doug Burgum(R)
N.J.Gov.Chris_Christie(R)
Fla.Gov.Ron_DeSantis(R)
S.C.Gov.Nikki_Haley(R)
Ark.Gov.Asa_Hutchinson(R)
Former V.P.Mike Pence(R-IN)
U.S.Rep.Dean_Phillips(D-MN)
Vivek_Ramaswamy(R-OH)
S.C.Sen.Tim_Scott(R)
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Page last updated: Feb 07, 2026