Utah gubernatorial hopeful Phil Lyman blames Maryland bridge collapse on diversity
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SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Utah state lawmaker and Republican gubernatorial candidate Phil Lyman posted on social media Tuesday blaming the deadly bridge collapse disaster in Maryland on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts gone overboard.
Lyman (R-Blanding) reposted an X/Twitter a post from the Young Conservative Federation account that highlighted the profiles of a few commissioners of the Port of Baltimore, one of whom, a Black woman, was the founder of a DEI consulting business.
“She knows nothing about ports,” the tweet said, in part. Another tweet in the thread noted that a Black male lawyer on the commissioners board only “knew some marine law.”
The Utah state representative reposted this tweet, adding his own commentary: “This is what happens when you have Governors who prioritize diversity over the wellbeing and security of citizens.”
ABC4.com reached out to Lyman for further comment on the tweet, but he did not respond.
The disaster in Baltimore happened early Tuesday morning when a massive container ship leaving the port lost power and struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge, causing that section of Interstate 695 to fall into the Patapsco River.
As of Wednesday morning, six missing construction workers are presumed dead, ABC News reports. The disaster remains under investigation.
Current Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, who is up for re-election in November, also posted on social media about the bridge collapse.
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“Terrible news out of Maryland this morning,” he wrote on Tuesday. “Our prayers are with everyone affected by this tragedy.”
Cox also retweeted an Associated Press post saying that the ship’s mayday call reportedly enabled officials to limit traffic on the bridge before the collision and subsequent collapse.
That’s where Cox’s commentary on the event appears to have ended. Lyman, on the other hand, had more to say, or rather retweet.
The gubernatorial hopeful shared a post attacking the company that manages the ship involved in the disaster for its posting about International Women’s Day and efforts to diversify the shipping industry.
He also retweeted a long post on DEI from conservative political commentator and Gilbert cartoonist Scott Adams, adding the hashtag “#DEIispoison.” In another post, Lyman wrote that “DEI =DIE.”
Taken together, these posts and other tweets on his social media accounts appear to position Lyman further to the right on culture war issues than Cox, who has tried to foster a less divisive political climate through his “Disagree Better” initiative, although his efforts have sometimes backfired.
As for DEI in Utah, Cox recently signed a bill into law that strips diversity, equity and inclusion language from programs in state universities, specifying that the services provided in these programs must be made available to all students regardless of their identity.
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