Utah

Republican John Curtis will replace outgoing Senator Mitt Romney in Utah

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Republican Rep. John Curtis won a three-way general election on Tuesday to become Utah’s next junior U.S. senator.

Curtis bested Democratic candidate Caroline Gleich, a prominent environmental activist and mountaineer. He also defeated right-leaning Independent Carlton Bowen, who criticized him for not being sufficiently “pro-Trump.”

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Curtis’s victory means that one moderate Republican will be replaced with another. In September 2023, Mitt Romney announced that he would not seek reelection, likely ending his career in electoral politics. 

Romney had represented Utah in the U.S. Senate since 2019, while also serving as Massachusetts Governor from 2003-2007. He was the Republican presidential nominee in 2012 and lost to Barack Obama.

Utah, historically a Republican stronghold, has not elected a Democratic senator since 1970, according to the Associated Press.

 A new center-right voice for Utah 

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Curtis, who once identified as a Democrat, has positioned himself as a bipartisan voice amid the complexities of contemporary politics. He has stated his support for Trump when the former president’s policies align with “Utah values.”

Throughout his campaign, Curtis emphasized key issues such as protecting public lands, increasing energy production, and fostering improved relations with China. His platform aims to resonate with a broad spectrum of Utah voters, reflecting the state’s combination of traditional conservative values and a pragmatic approach to governance.

Jeremy Yurow is a politics reporting fellow based in Hawaii for the USA TODAY Network. You can reach him at JYurow@gannett.com or on X, formerly Twitter @JeremyYurow

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