Scripps News and Decision Desk HQ project U.S. Rep. John Curtis is the winner of the Utah GOP Senate primary, putting him on track to replace the retiring Sen. Mitt Romney in the U.S. Senate.
Curtis won a special election to the U.S. House in 2017, where he replaced Jason Chaffetz. He is the longest-serving member of Utah's House delegation.
He is now favored in the general election race against Democratic nominee Caroline Gleich.
Curtis drew criticism from his closest rival in the race, the further-right Trent Staggs, who is the mayor of the Salt Lake City suburb of Riverton and who was endorsed by Donald Trump. Staggs branded Curtis as "a Democrat posing as a Republican."
Curtis' voting record aligns closely with Trump's stated policy positions.
But Curtis also founded the Conservative Climate Caucus, a group meant to educate GOP lawmakers on the realities of climate change and to bring market-based solutions to its problems as a counter to progressive policies such as the Green New Deal.
Curtis has presented this goal as a balance he's had to strike with conservative voters at home in Utah.
"I think the reason that they’re so supportive of me — and I still talk climate — is that I’m the first person that’s ever really articulated that they’re a part of the solution, not the problem," he said.
