Rep. John Curtis (R-UT) has won a four-way GOP primary to replace outgoing Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT), dealing a blow to former President Donald Trump’s endorsement record after he supported an opponent in the race.
Curtis, who currently represents the 3rd Congressional District, received 51.6% of the vote with 50% of ballots counted when the primary was called at 10:23 pm ET, according to the Associated Press. Meanwhile, Mayor Trent Staggs, whom Trump endorsed shortly before the Utah GOP convention in April, received 28.1% of the vote. Utah House Speaker Brad Wilson and businessman Jason Walton received 14.1% and 6.2%, respectively.
Curtis had raised the most of any candidate in the campaign homestretch, pulling in just under $970,000 between April 8 and June 5, according to recent campaign finance disclosures. He was also the only candidate who had not endorsed Trump’s reelection bid directly, though he has pledged to support the party’s nominee. Disclosures showed Staggs raised $260,000 in the last quarter, significantly less than Curtis.
Romney has been the face of the party’s centrist wing, prompting speculation on whether his retirement from the Senate would usher in another candidate in a similar mold or someone more conservative like Utah’s other Republican senator, Mike Lee (R-UT).
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Curtis will go on to face Democrat Caroline Gleich, a professional skier in November.
The general election for Utah’s Senate seat is not expected to be competitive because the state is reliably Republican and has not elected a Democratic senator since 1970.
