John Curtis wins Utah GOP primary to replace Mitt Romney in U.S. Senate
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Rep. John Curtis (R-Utah) clinched victory Tuesday in the closely watched GOP Senate primary to replace retiring Sen. Mitt Romney.
By the numbers: Curtis received nearly 51% of votes while Riverton Mayor Trent Staggs, who was endorsed by former President Trump, collected about 30%, per preliminary results posted shortly after midnight.
- The AP called the race for the three-term congressman 24 minutes after polls closed in Utah at 8pm.
Why it matters: Curtis, a moderate Republican, defeated MAGA candidate Staggs in a state where Utah Republican voters have demonstrated less-than-enthusiastic support for Trump.
State of play: Many GOP voters in Utah, where a significant portion of residents are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, have been put off by Trump's divisiveness and conduct.
- Utah was the second worst-performing state for Trump among the 15 states that held GOP presidential caucuses in March.
- He garnered 56% of the vote, only performing worse in Vermont, which went to former Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley.
What they're saying: Curtis called for unifying the country during his acceptance speech at an election night watch party in Provo, the city he led as mayor before he was elected to the House in 2017.
- "If you expect me to be Sen. Mitt Romney, you're going to be disappointed," Curtis said. "If you expect me to be Sen. Mike Lee, you're going to be disappointed."
Catch up quick: Staggs, the first GOP candidate to jump in the race for Romney's seat, secured delegates' support during April's Republican convention after receiving a last-minute endorsement from Trump.
- Curtis, who led in the polls ahead of the primary, took the signature-gathering route to appear on the ballot.
- State party delegates tend to skew further to the right than the state's Republican electorate.
Context: Curtis, a former Democrat, has stood out in Congress for his work on climate change issues, painting himself as a centrist.
State of play: Other GOP candidates, former House Speaker Brad Wilson and businessman Jason Walton, struggled to gain traction among voters.
- Wilson received 14% and Walton got 6%, according to early results.
Between the lines: Romney, a moderate Republican and vocal Trump critic, did not make an endorsement in the race.
Flashback: Last fall, Curtis announced he would not run for Senate, saying it would not align with his "political priorities," per Deseret News.
Yes, but: He reversed his decision and entered the race in January after receiving encouragement to run.
What's next: Curtis will face Democrat Caroline Gleich, a professional skier and mountaineer, in November.
- "We don't need another six years of John Curtis in Washington," Gleich said in a statement. "I've fought for clean air, water, and protected public lands for a decade and a half, and I will continue to advocate for our families, freedom and future."
- Voters have not elected a Democrat to represent Utah in the U.S. Senate since 1970.
Editor's note: This story has been updated to include comments from Curtis and Gleich.
