LaVarr Webb

LaVarr Webb is a journalist who is best known for his point-counterpoint political column he co-wrote for 21 years for the Deseret News. He first wrote the column with former Salt Lake Mayor Ted Wilson and then with former Utah Democratic state representative and minority leader Frank Pignanelli. Webb retired at the end of July 2024 due to a call to serve a mission with his wife, Jan, for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to Hong Kong in the Church’s Asia Area office, which includes 22 countries.

Before Webb started his first newspaper job with the Color Country Spectrum in St. George, Utah, he interned with Washington columnist Jack Anderson. At the Deseret News, he served in various positions, including city editor, political editor, and managing editor.

Webb managed Michael O. Leavitt’s campaign for Utah governor, then served as the governor’s policy deputy from 1993 to 1997. He also wrote speeches and directed major projects. He was the governor's liaison to the Western Governors Association, the Republican Governors Association, and the National Governors Association.

After his work in government, Webb became a consultant and “ran a successful citizen initiative campaign to increase local sales taxes to fund an expansion of TRAX and an extension of FrontRunner. He helped with the Count My Vote effort that resulted in candidates being able to reach a primary ballot via petition signatures, rather than only through the convention process.”[1]

Webb published Utahpolicy.com beginning in 2004 and was publisher of Utah Policy Daily and Utah Pulse. He helped found the Exoro Group in 2002, a Salt Lake City, Utah-based public affairs firm specializing in public policy and strategic communications.[1] He retired from Exoro Group in 2014.

In 2012, Webb was named to the list of Top 500 Influencers in American Politics by Campaigns & Elections Magazine, which stated that he "is widely considered one of the state's sharpest consultants.[2]