In the race to replace Senator Romney, Utah weighs a Trump loyalist and a climate-focused congressman

OREM, Utah – While leading a crowd of picnicking families at the “YMCA” ball, Trent Staggs happily waved a “Utah for Trump” flag at a recent campaign rally — yet another not-so-subtle reminder to voters that he is supported by the former president in race to replace retirement US Senator Mitt Romney.

That endorsement propelled Staggs, who was little known outside the Salt Lake City suburb he leads, to victory at the state’s Republican convention in April, where delegates lean far right. But his credentials in Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” movement may not be enough to win. Tuesday Primarywhen Utah’s more discreet Republican electorate has a say.

The election will determine whether the state wants another moderate conservative like Romney — U.S. Rep. John Curtis is considered the front-runner in the race — or a far-right candidate more willing to align with Trump. The vote could have larger implications for how Utah fits into the evolving dynamics of the national Republican Party, which the former president largely reshaped in his own image.

“We have someone in John Curtis who would just be a continuation of Mitt Romney,” Staggs said during the rally in a park north of Provo, the city where Curtis was once mayor. “I don’t want another senator who has a disharmonious relationship with President Trump.”

Curtis is currently the longest-serving member of the House delegation for Utah, a rare Republican stronghold that has hugged Trump without enthusiasm, whose bold style and comments about refugees and immigrants do not sit well with many members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. About half of the state’s 3.4 million residents belong to the faith widely known as the Mormon Church.

Despite losing at the convention, Curtis qualified for the primary election using a signature-gathering method created years ago as a solution for moderate candidates to ensure that his prospects would not be condemned by the staunch conservatives who regularly attend. conventions.

Jason Perry, director of the Hinckley Institute of Politics at the University of Utah, said Curtis is “in a very good position.” The Republican primary winner is heavily favored in November over Democratic candidate Caroline Gleich in a state that has not elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1970.

Even as Trump’s influence has grown in the state, his supporters may be divided between Staggs and two other candidates who say they support Trump’s agenda, former Utah House Speaker Brad Wilson and businessman Jason Walton. Wilson was considered a strong candidate to win the convention, but his loss to Staggs relegated him to a long shot in the primary.

Curtis is looking to create his own brand of conservatism in the post-Romney era of Utah politics, with a focus on bringing Republicans to the table on issues involving climate change. Deer claims that Curtis is “a Democrat pretending to be a Republican.” But with a voting record that aligns almost perfectly With Trump’s political positions, Curtis says he is more conservative than people realize.

The 64-year-old congressman takes the concept of campaigning more literally than most. He organized a series of walks with voters to talk about the environment and get to know them while they were in nature.

As founder of Conservative Climate Caucus on Capitol Hill, he dedicated himself to educating fellow Republicans about the consequences of climate change, reacting to party leaders like Trump who falsely claimed it was a hoax and downplayed the effects of rising temperatures caused by fossil fuel emissions. The convention takes a market-based approach to climate issues, countering democratic policies with proposals that Curtis says aim to reduce emissions without compromising American jobs and economic principles.

In a state where outdoor recreation is critical to thousands of lives and where access to water and air quality are important to many, Curtis sees the environment as a winning issue.

Still, Curtis has received broad support in previous elections, even from parts of his district that are home to the state’s coal, oil and gas hubs. He tried to strike a balance, prioritizing the preservation of these industries, praising a plan to extend the operational life of major coal-fired plants in his district and urging lawmakers not to rule out fossil fuels as part of an affordable clean energy future. The United States, he argues, can meet its emissions reduction goals while using some natural gas, which emits less carbon dioxide than other fossil fuels when burned.

“I think the reason they’re so supportive of me — and I still talk about climate — is that I’m the first person who’s really articulated that they’re part of the solution, not the problem,” Curtis said in an interview.

For snowboard instructor Sara Moore, 34, who identifies as an independent Republican but is registered to vote in the primary, Curtis’ emphasis on climate change and energy jobs strikes a “refreshing” balance.

“I’m a seasonal worker. We need a climate that can sustain snow,” said the Salt Lake City voter. “But I also recognize how our state’s economy and so many livelihoods depend on the oil and gas industries.”

Staggs, the 50-year-old mayor of Riverton, a suburb south of Salt Lake City, touted his endorsement of Oil & Gas Workers Association and he told the Associated Press he would prioritize energy dominance over emissions reductions. Staggs was the first to enter the race, even before Romney announced he was not seeking re-election.

Staggs supporter Sally Hemingway, 68, of Riverton, said he has been a thoughtful, approachable and productive mayor. She admires that he was the first to challenge Romney.

“It may be a long shot — I think he knows that — but his campaign has always been about disrupting the status quo since he stepped forward to challenge Mitt Romney,” she said. “And I think he did.”

Jacob Mathews, 25, a student and construction worker, and his wife, Maya Mathews, 24, a substitute teacher, were undecided, but said they will ultimately vote for the candidate who seems most approachable, supports working families like theirs, and values ​​the USA. Constitution. Whether a candidate is supported by Trump “really doesn’t matter to us,” the couple agreed.

They stopped at the community park in Orem to hear Staggs and other convention picks sing in celebration of Trump’s birthday. Both left wishing the candidates had spoken more about their political objectives and less about the former president.

“I want to know what you’re going to do for Utah,” Jacob Mathews said.