Utah's congressman announced his decision to enter the race to replace retiring Republican Sen. Mitt Romney. The move comes three months after Romney told residents in the state that he had decided to stay out of the Senate race to focus on his unfinished business in the state. his constituents.
Utah State Representative John Curtis, a Republican who ran for the state Senate as a Democrat in 2000, announced his campaign to a local television station on Tuesday.
Curtis, who has represented Utah's 3rd District in the House of Representatives since 2017, told KSL-TV that he believes he can carry on the work he is doing in the House and continue to build a larger base in the Senate. He said he was there.
“I think part of the 'aha' moment was that I can do all of this and actually have a bigger platform and accomplish more.” Curtis said.He is a former mayor of Provo, Utah, and previously served as a county-level Democratic official.
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Utah State Representative John Curtis, a Republican who ran for the state Senate as a Democrat in 2000, announced his campaign to a local television station on Tuesday.
Curtis, who had been considering running for office in September, made the decision in response to comments from members of Congress. As stated in an editorial in October He said he decided not to run for the Senate because of his “commitment to the residents of the 3rd District.”
“We have accomplished a lot, but my job for them is not done yet. “I believe that we need a leader who is committed to the future. To walk away now would leave promises unfulfilled. I want to see the job through to the end,” he said at the time.
But on Tuesday, Curtis said he had a change of heart and was asking people to reconsider his decision not to run.
“From the moment I announced I wasn't running, I started getting calls asking me to reconsider,” Curtis told the TV station. “These are the very people who [I] In fact, we have made that promise in response to many voices saying that the Senate can serve us better than the House of Representatives. So, without that, I don't think I would have been able to change my mind. ”
“In fact, I have seniority from the House to the Senate, so I'm not going to start at number 100. I think that's very important for the state,” he added. “I also bring experience on how to pass legislation. … I bring that and also focus on Utah. People want me to get up at night and try to go on TV.” I know I'm not a good guy. I'm going to wake up,” and ask, “What can I do for the district?” And I think people really appreciate that. ”
On November 28, 2023, Representative John Curtis, Republican of Utah, attends a swearing-in ceremony in the Rayburn Room at the U.S. Capitol, along with Speaker of the House Mike Johnson and other members of the Utah House delegation. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc, via Getty Images)
A spokesperson for Mr. Curtis' campaign said in a statement to Fox News Digital that Mr. Curtis is “deeply concerned about the future of Utah, which is why he is running for the United States Senate.”
“After many Utahns from across the state reached out and urged him to run, John decided it was the right thing to do,” the spokesperson added. “He has a conservative track record of getting things done for Utahns and will continue to work every day to make our state a better place.”
Current state of the race: The top five Senate seats held by Democrats in 2024 are most likely to flip.
Curtis' decision comes after Romney announced in September that he would not seek re-election to the Senate in 2024. In announcing his decision, Romney declared he was not “retiring from the fight” and criticized both President Biden and former President Donald Trump. He calls for a “new generation of leaders.”
Mr. Curtis is now part of a growing number of Republicans seeking to replace Mr. Romney.
Former Utah House Speaker Brad Wilson, Riverton Mayor Trent Staggs, Roosevelt Mayor Rod Byrd Jr., former Republican Sen. Mike Lee's staff, Carolyn Phippen, and several others. Last year, he announced a campaign for the vacant Senate seat. Brent Orrin Hatch, one of the six children of the late Utah Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch, also announced his candidacy on Tuesday.
Curtis told The Salt Lake Tribune that he made the decision to join the field after having “private conversations” with several U.S. senators who also encouraged him to join the race. Ta.
Citing “multiple sources,” the Tribune reported that “Mr. Romney was one of the senators who lobbied to join the race.”
Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) announced in September that he would not seek re-election to the Senate in 2024. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
Asked about the Tribune report, Romney's chief of staff, Liz Johnson, told Fox News Digital that the senator is “away from the race.”
“Utah is fortunate to have several candidates interested in serving in the U.S. Senate, and Sen. Romney highly values their desire to serve in the U.S. Senate. He will not participate in the race.” Stated.
Curtis' campaign did not specifically say whether he had received support from Romney, but told Fox News Digital, “The congressman has received encouragement from many elected officials. “There is,” he said.
A spokesperson for the campaign added: “Most of them want to keep their personal matters private.”
Republicans have a significant advantage in Utah, outscoring Democrats by more than 3 to 1.
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.
