Rep. John Curtis (R-Utah) won the Utah Senate GOP primary on Tuesday, making him the favorite to succeed the retiring senator. Mitt Romney Next year.
Curtis, a three-term congressman and former mayor of Provo, Utah, defeated three other candidates, including the mayor of Riverton Trent Staggswhich was supported by the former President Donald Trump.
Staggs praised his endorsement of Trump in the final days of the race for claiming that a Curtis election would mean a “Mitt Romney continuation” in the Senate. He said Utah deserved a senator who would get along with the former president who is running for another term in the White House.
Curtis said Trump is responsible for the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol and didn’t come back him during the presidential primaries earlier this year. His wife also supported former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley (R) before dropping out and supporting Trump.
However, the 64-year-old congressman is still deeply conservative and aligns with Trump on most issues. The only exception appears to be his focus on combating the harmful effects of climate change, such as drought and wildfires, a major problem in his western state.
Curtis was elected to Congress in 2017 after then-Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), retired midway through his term and became a contributor to Fox News.
Tuesday’s primary election marks yet another setback for Trump in Utah, which appears to be on an island in the broader Republican Party that has fully supported Trump and his MAGA agenda. The state’s governor, Spencer Cox, also has a tense relationship with Trump.
Romney, a rare Republican critic of Trump who twice voted to impeach the former president, announced earlier this year that he was leaving office to spend more time with his family and wishes not to serve until he is 80. The 2012 GOP presidential candidate and former governor of Massachusetts congratulated Curtis on his victory on Tuesday, calling he “a man of honor and integrity who cares deeply about our fellow citizens and the future of our country. We need more leaders like him.”
Utah has not elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1970. Curtis is expected to face Democrat Caroline Gleich in November.
