Utah governor responds to constituent demanding he change ‘obscene’ last name

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox (R) has gone viral over his response to a constituent who demanded that he change his last name, which they called “obscene.”

“Really grateful for the criticism and constructive feedback I get from constituents that demand I … change my name?” Cox tweeted late last week, including a facepalming emoji.

The governor shared a letter from someone who identified themselves as “a very concerned citizen” who told Cox that “when people say your surname it sounds like the word c—.”

“I will not stand for it,” the person wrote, while threatening to protest until the governor changed his name.

“Because of your reluctance to change your foul, dirty and obscene surname myself and thousands of other Utahns will be sitting in protest, not standing, until you change your heinous surname to something less offensive,” the person added.

Really grateful for the criticism and constructive feedback I get from constituents that demand I…

*checks notes*

…change my name? ‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/RavFip8U4M

— Spencer Cox (@SpencerJCox) August 7, 2021

The constituent threatened to recall Cox if his name isn’t changed, stating this is “not a communist dictatorship.”

After some Twitter users speculated that the letter may be satire, Cox responded by saying his constituent affairs director “thinks it’s serious.”

I thought so. My constituent affairs director (the guy that sees all the letters and phone calls) thinks it’s serious.

— Spencer Cox (@SpencerJCox) August 9, 2021

The letter demanded a response at the end, saying Utah does not “accept sick jokes to run rampant in our civil institutions.”

Cox was elected governor last year and previously served as lieutenant governor since 2013.