Utah Gov. Spencer Cox is comfortable bringing his faith into politics. He is less comfortable with a trend he perceives: "Politics is replacing religion."

Cox drew widespread attention in September after the assassination of the activist Charlie Kirk in Utah. After briefing the public on the arrest of the suspect, the governor added a personal appeal for Americans to think about politics differently. "I would encourage people to log off, turn off, touch grass, hug a family member, go out and do good in your community," he said.

Just before the Thanksgiving holiday, NPR sat with Cox for a conversation on the state of the country. He addressed the aftermath of the Kirk shooting in a divided nation — and discussed other issues, from nuclear power to artificial intelligence, that he sees as

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