Utah governor’s book ‘Off Ramp’ to be released near anniversary of Charlie Kirk assassination

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox’s first book, “Off Ramp: How to be a Peacemaker in an Age of Contempt,” will be available on Sep. 8.

The release comes just before the one year anniversary of the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk in Utah.

The apparently politically motivated murder was one of the most high profile and publicly viewed killings in American history.

It also thrust Utah’s governor — who had spent years warning against violent polarization — into the national spotlight.

At the time, Cox said he hoped the tragedy would be “a catalyst to help us find that off ramp that we desperately need.”

Now the governor is presenting a road map.

The book is billed as a “practical guide to depolarization,” centered around Cox’s well-known slogan of “disagree better.”

As chair of the National Governors Association, Cox led the initiative to model healthy dialogue between opposing parties.

He debuted a Disagree Better nonprofit in the aftermath of Kirk’s death, convening depolarization groups from across the country.

Around the time he launched “Disagree Better” in 2023, Cox began working on a book, he revealed at a November press conference.

“It’s about where we are as a country and just my concerns around the polarization that we’ve been seeing,” he said.

When asked whether the book deal with Penguin Press foreshadowed a presidential run, Cox insisted, “This is not that.”

“I have no interest in running for president,” Cox said. “This is just something that is just so important to me.”

“It’s something I believe in.”