A Salt Lake Tribune-Hinckley Institute of Politics poll showed 34 percent of registered voters evaluated the state’s response to Outdoor Retailer’s complaints over public land issues as excellent or good, while 31 percent found it poor. About a quarter (23 percent) rated the state’s actions as fair, which while not a glowing endorsement, suggests a quarter of respondents did not have strong feelings about the issues and the loss of the event.
Dan Jones & Associates conducted the survey March 15 to 21, a month after Emerald Expositions said it would not include Utah in requests for proposals to host future shows, stemming from the State’s public-lands policies and efforts to undo Bears Ears National Monument, which led to brands boycotting the OR show.
The poll was among 605 registered voters statewide and had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.98 percentage points.
Republicans were more supportive of the state’s efforts, with 45 percent rating its performance as good or excellent. Fifteen percent judged Utah’s response as poor and 28 percent as fair. Democrats were much less impressed, with 75 percent of Democrats giving the state a poor rating. Nearly a third of men and women labeled the state’s response as poor, while more than half (54 percent) of younger respondents, ages 18 to 24, gave Utah officials the lowest mark on the issue.
