Pence Makes Stop in Utah Today
COSTELLO: Utah will be among the most fascinating states to watch on November 8th. The reddest of states is purple right now, and may just turn blue on Election Day. The Trump camp is worried. It is sending Mike Pence to Salt Lake City today. Keep in mind it is highly unusual for such a high-powered surrogate to campaign in Utah because Democrats usually concede that state. Not so this year. Clinton's camp has sent staffers to Utah to whip up support. So let's talk about that. With me now is Thomas Burr, Washington correspondent for "The Salt Lake Tribune." Welcome, Thomas.</s>THOMAS BURR, WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT "THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE": Hey, good morning.</s>COSTELLO: Good morning. So, Mike Pence is very popular in Utah. Mr. Trump is not. So, how important is Pence's visit?</s>BURR: You know, the fact we are talking about the vice presidential candidate on the Republican side, visiting Utah 13 days for the election is very telling, I guess, of the campaign right now. Yes, Mike Pence has visited Utah a couple times before, actually, in this campaign and last time was with Governor Gary Herbert and other leaders in the state, this time, not so much.</s>COSTELLO: What do you mean? Because, you know, you mentioned Pence was there before. Senator Mike Lee -- welcomed him, a very popular Republican senator in the state of Utah. But things have changed. And tell us how they have changed, especially with Senator Lee.</s>BURR: Yes, absolutely. So, when Senator Lee has never supported Donald Trump actually in this campaign, has kept you know, silent on who actually he's going to vote for at the end of the day. But Mormons in general which make up about 60, 65 percent of the state, have not been very supportive of Donald Trump either and right now, all polling looks like Evan McMullin, independent candidate from Provo, born in Provo, Mormon is actually leading or around the same points as Donald Trump. Hillary Clinton, a few points behind. But right now, you look at the state and you say, well, this is actually -- it could go independent for the first time since 1960. Independent candidate could carry electoral votes.</s>COSTELLO: That would be kind of thrilling for Utah in a way. Because you know, -- we have never really talked about Utah, right, because we always assume it's going to go Republican.</s>BURR: I know, Carol. You can bet me $1,000 last year that Utah would be a swing state and I would have given you favorable odds.</s>COSTELLO: So, what is your prediction? Can Mr. Trump turn things around? Should Mr. Trump be in the state of Utah rather than Mike Pence? Would that help?</s>BURR: I don't think Mr. Trump visiting Utah is going to help his campaign. Mike Pence is probably the best surrogate he could send to try to whip up support there. At the end of the day, we will see. Again, Utah hasn't voted for a Democrat since 1964, since LBJ ran the table on all the states. And right now, if you say, will Evan McMullin, this independent candidate, be able to pull it out, I don't know. Hillary Clinton sent five new staffers there this week to try to whip up support. They're sending a lot more mailers. They're running TV, radio ads. They are really, you know, doing their best. But the fact that Donald Trump is actually having -- the Republican nominee, is having to defend Utah, is just fascinating.</s>COSTELLO: Oh, come on. We want your prediction. Who's going to win Utah? Come on, make a prediction.</s>BURR: I don't know. I'm not good at this betting game. I'm telling you.</s>COSTELLO: Thomas, you disappoint me. But thank you so much for being with me this morning. Thomas Burr thanks. Coming up in the "Newsroom," Obamacare under fire as premiums soar and insurers back away. Will the program eventually flat-line or can it be fixed? We will talk to the man who built it next.