Race To Replace Romney Heats Up With New Contenders

(NewsInsights.org) – Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT), 76, who ran as the 2012 GOP presidential candidate, announced in mid-September that he wouldn’t seek another term as senator. Instead, he suggested the time was ripe for “a new generation of leaders” to take the stage. On Tuesday, January 2, two new Republican contenders threw their hats in the ring for his senate seat.

Rep. John Curtis (R-UT), 63, announced his bid after initially suggesting he had no intention of doing so. Brent Orrin Hatch, the son of late Sen. Orrin Hatch, 65, who held Romney’s seat before he assumed it in 2019, has also declared his candidacy. Hatch has spent his career litigating in Utah, but he also worked in the Reagan and George H.W. Bush administrations in the Justice Department.

The two men join an already crowded field of contenders. Here are some of the others who have declared.

Riverton Mayor Trent Staggs, 49, became among the first to bid for the seat. Staggs has made no secret of his America-First philosophies or endorsements from the likes of Mark Levin and Charlie Kirk.
Former Utah House Speaker Brad Wilson, 54, announced his interest in running for the seat in September 2023. Active in state politics since 2010, he runs a successful real estate development corporation.
State Delegate Tyrone Jensen previously ran unsuccessfully against incumbent Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT). This time, he’s making a run for the seat Romney is vacating. Jensen avidly supports former President Donald Trump and America-First principles.
Former Senate Advisor Carolyn Phippen served under Sen. Lee, but she’s making a bid to run her own senate office. Phippen has extensive state and national experience working for Lee and other politicians.

Liz Johnson, Romney’s chief of staff, told media outlets that “Utah is fortunate to have several candidates” anxious to replace Sen. Romney. She said the senator appreciated their spirit of public service. However, she added, “He is staying out of the race.”