Four candidates are vying for the Republican nomination for Senate in hopes of succeeding Romney. Rep. John Curtis, former mayor of Provo, announced this year that he would vacate his House seat to run for Senate and is the leading contender to replace Romney. Riverton Mayor Trent Staggs, who was endorsed by Trump and who won the state GOP’s support at its convention, is also vying for the nomination.
Utah’s 2nd Congressional District
Incumbent Rep. Celeste Maloy (R) won a special election by a large margin last fall to serve out the remainder of Stewart’s term. Stewart resigned in September to focus on his wife’s health.
Maloy, who once served as Stewart’s chief legal counsel, hopes to be elected to a full term but faces technology executive Colby Jenkins in the GOP primary. Jenkins has the endorsement of Sen. Mike Lee (R) and won the party’s nod at the state Republican convention in April. Maloy, however, has the endorsement of Trump.
The winner of the GOP primary is favored to win the general election in November and represent the sprawling and solidly red district that covers southwest Utah.
Utah’s 3rd Congressional District
When Curtis announced this year he would vacate his House seat to run for Senate, a crowded field of contenders soon formed in a bid to represent his district, which covers much of the eastern half of the state.
Top contenders include hard-right state Sen. Mike Kennedy — a physician who opposed Romney in 2018 and sponsored a bill seeking to ban gender-affirming care for minors — as well as the more moderate entrepreneur Case Lawrence, founder of the trampoline parks company CircusTrix. Lawrence has mostly self-funded his House bid, loaning his campaign nearly $2.5 million, according to Federal Election Commission reports.
