Payson–Dixon line

Payson–Dixon line or Payson–Dixie line is an unofficial political boundary sometimes referred to in Utah politics. It refers to the area south of Payson, Utah, down to St. George, Utah which carries the nickname of Utah's Dixie. It is a pun on the well known Mason–Dixon line, an unofficial delineation of where the American south begins.

Use and history

The origin of the term is unknown, but an early use appears in 1988 in St. George's newspaper, The Spectrum.{{Cite web|url=http://thespectrum.newspapers.com/image/285852553/|title=18 Feb 1988, 5 - The Daily Spectrum at Newspapers.com|website=The Spectrum|language=en|access-date=2019-11-20}} It was used regularly in 1993, with Utah State representative Met Johnson [R-UT-74]{{Cite web|url=https://le.utah.gov/asp/roster/roster.asp|title=Utah Legislators by Year|website=le.utah.gov|access-date=2019-11-20}} using the term in opinion pieces and other settings expressing his concern of the growing divide.{{Cite web|url=https://www.deseret.com/1993/7/13/19056092/utah-lawmaker-says-excursion-is-well-worth-it|title=UTAH LAWMAKER SAYS EXCURSION IS WELL WORTH IT|last=Spangler|first=Jerry|date=1993-07-13|website=Deseret News|language=en|access-date=2019-11-19}} Its use throughout 1993 particularly surrounded a special legislative session held in St. George instead of Salt Lake, which cost Utah taxpayers. (The session was meant to be a one-time event, to focus on rural issues, and became a fairly regular tradition).{{Cite web |first=Tony |last=Semerad |date=16 July 1993 |title=Rural Utahns Applaud Chance To Exchange ... |url=https://archive.sltrib.com/article.php?id=&itype=storyID |access-date=2024-07-05 |website=The Salt Lake Tribune |language=en-US}}

=Politics=

It was used frequently in 2018 and 2019 by Utah (then Lt.) Governor Spencer Cox in keynotes,{{Cite web|url=https://www.thespectrum.com/story/news/2018/09/13/intermountain-healthcare-celebrates-opening-world-class-facilities/1293399002/|title=Growing together: Intermountain Healthcare celebrates opening of world-class facilities|last=Havens|first=Emily|website=The Spectrum & Daily News|language=en|access-date=2019-11-20}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.heraldextra.com/sanpete-county/commentary/inside-sanpete/weeds---lt-governor/article_857f92bf-6148-5465-a5e1-3f49f2b54d75.html|title=Weeds - Lt. Governor|last=Ogden|first=Merrill|website=Daily Herald|language=en|access-date=2019-11-20}} tweets,{{Cite web|url=https://twitter.com/SpencerJCox/status/1192673629185531904|title=Can I be one of those random people? I get excited every time I see you post pics of cows and tweet about our local radio options. THANK YOU for recognizing life south of the Payson–Dixon line.|last=Cox|first=Spencer|date=2019-11-07|website=@SpencerJCox|language=en|access-date=2019-11-20}}{{Cite web|url=https://twitter.com/darinbushman/status/566275794537033728|title=There is life south of the Payson Dixon Line|last=Bushman|first=Darin|date=2015-02-13|website=@darinbushman|language=en|access-date=2019-11-20}} podcasts,{{Cite web|url=https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/whats-up-down-south-from-2019-st-george-area-economic/id1374731911?i=1000427480797|title=Cox and Friends: "What's Up Down South?" from the 2019 St. George Area Economic Summit on Apple Podcasts|website=Apple Podcasts|language=en-us|access-date=2019-11-20}}{{Cite web|url=https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/live-from-utah-rural-summit-hosted-at-southern-utah/id1374731911?i=1000448827158|title=Cox and Friends: Live from the Utah Rural Summit hosted at Southern Utah University! on Apple Podcasts|website=Apple Podcasts|language=en-us|access-date=2019-11-20}} and other public situations to advocate for Southern Utah. Being from the area himself, he used it in the context of his then role as Lt. Governor, as well as his 2020 gubernatorial campaign, in which he used it throughout his tour of the 248 incorporated cities in Utah, especially those in the rural south. He continued use of the term as governor, as recently as his 2021 State of the State speech to argue for his budget proposal, saying "In Utah, it shouldn’t matter what side of I-15 you were born on – or in my case, on what side of the Payson–Dixon line you happen to live – every child in this state deserves a great education from a high-quality, well-compensated teacher."{{Cite web |date=2021-01-22 |title=2021 State Of The State: Full Text Of Gov. Spencer Cox's Address |url=https://www.kuer.org/news/2021-01-21/2021-state-of-the-state-gov-spencer-cox |access-date=2022-06-26 |website=KUER |lang=en|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20210303085816/https://www.kuer.org/news/2021-01-21/2021-state-of-the-state-gov-spencer-cox|archivedate=2021-03-03}} Cox has continued using it to encourage representation of the second half of the state, including in Primary for Celeste Maloy{{Cite web |title='I don't think Donald Trump can win the presidency as the Republican nominee,' Utah GOP Gov. Cox says |url=https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2023/08/17/i-dont-think-donald-trump-can-win/ |access-date=2024-07-05 |website=The Salt Lake Tribune |language=en-US}}

References

External links

[https://www.deseret.com/2004/6/25/19836518/bumpkinism-is-forever/ "Bumpkinism is forever" (a 2004 Opinion Piece defining the term)]

Category:Regions of Utah