Forum: Confronting Political Violence
Utah Governor Spencer Cox and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro join for a rare and timely conversation on the rising threat of political violence and what it means for the future of American democracy. In this moment of deep division, two leaders from opposite political parties will reflect on the dangers of extremism, the responsibilities of leadership in moments of crisis, and the work of building civic life rooted in dignity, safety, and hope.
Following the conversation with Governors Cox and Shapiro, Cathedral Dean Randy Hollerith will moderate a panel of experts on democracy, faith and society.
Panelists include Dr. Yuval Levin, Director of Social, Cultural, and Constitutional Studies at the American Enterprise Institute, and Melody Barnes, Founding Executive Director of the Karsh Institute of Democracy at the University of Virginia.
Presented in partnership with Disagree Better, The Wheatley Institute at Brigham Young University, and the National Institute for Civil Discourse.
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About “A Better Way”
This event is part of A Better Way: Sacred Values for Civic Life. At Washington National Cathedral, we believe the gospel compels us to live faithfully at the intersection of the sacred and the civic. A Better Way is our commitment to embodying dignity and respect in public life, offering hope, and providing a moral framework in a divided world.
About the Featured Guests
governor spencer cox
Govenor Spencer J. Cox is Utah’s 18th governor, a husband, father, farmer, and recovering attorney. He served as 2023–2024 chairman of the National Governors Association and has a long history of public service, including roles as city councilmember, mayor, county commissioner, state legislator, and lieutenant governor before being sworn in as governor on Jan. 4, 2021.
In his first term, Gov. Cox cut $1.1 billion in taxes, advanced water law and infrastructure reforms, secured record education funding, enacted universal school choice, and supported affordable housing. A national advocate for mental health and youth protection from social media harms, he launched early education and workforce initiatives, the One Utah Health Collaborative, and expanded opportunities for women, diverse communities, and rural Utahns.
A sixth-generation Utahn, Gov. Cox grew up in Fairview, attended Snow College, Utah State University, and Washington and Lee University School of Law, and returned home to raise four children on the family farm. He and First Lady Abby Cox reside in the Governor’s Mansion in Salt Lake City.
governor josh shapiro
Governor Josh Shapiro is the 48th Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Since taking office in January 2023, he has worked across party lines to deliver results for Pennsylvanians, focusing on freedom, opportunity, and community. In his first 18 months, he expanded access to state jobs, enacted bipartisan health coverage for high-risk women, invested record funding in public education, hired new State Police troopers, and boosted economic development in underserved communities.
Governor Shapiro has improved student access to free breakfast, mental health resources, apprenticeships, and workforce opportunities. He has streamlined government services through initiatives like CODE PA and automatic voter registration, and led rapid infrastructure repairs, including reopening I-95 in just 12 days. A criminal justice reform advocate, he ensures probation supports re-entry and second chances.
A lifelong Pennsylvanian, Shapiro served as Attorney General, Montgomery County Commissioner, and State Representative. He and his wife Lori, his high-school sweetheart, live in Pennsylvania with their four children: Sophia, Jonah, Max, and Reuben.