POLITICS & ELECTIONS

Curtis, Cox wins Utah GOP primaries, Maloy too close to call

Jun 25, 2024, 9:01 PM | Updated: 10:46 pm

PROVO, Utah (AP) — A pair of moderate Utah Republicans won primary elections Tuesday for U.S. Senate and governor over far-right candidates who are loyalists to former President Donald Trump, the latest example of how Utah is a rare Republican stronghold that doesn’t fully embrace the MAGA-led GOP.

U.S. Rep. John Curtis, who won the Utah GOP primary for Mitt Romney’s open U.S. Senate seat, and Gov. Spencer Cox still support Trump and many of his policies but have shown a willingness to stake out different positions on issues where they don’t agree.

Curtis and Cox both defeated candidates who beat them at the state party convention earlier this year among delegates who lean far right. But in Tuesday’s primary, when Utah’s more muted GOP electorate gets its say, they easily scored victories.

Their wins make Curtis and Cox heavy favorites in November’s general election in a state that leans heavily Republican.

A crowd of Curtis supporters gathered at a park in Provo erupted in cheers as the race call came in. The congressman hugged his children and grandchildren, many covered head to toe in “John Curtis for U.S. Senate” stickers, between congratulatory phone calls from U.S. Sen. Mike Lee and other Utah officials.

“Tonight is a night to celebrate, but tomorrow we go back to work,” Curtis told the crowd. “Thank you for the best campaign in the history of the world.”

Curtis will face off in November against Democratic nominee Caroline Gleich in a state that has not elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1970.

Utah election volunteers say they haven’t seen threats during primaries

Curtis, 64, started his political career as a county level Democratic Party official before running for Provo mayor as a Republican. He has been compared to Romney for pushing back against hard-liners in his party, particularly on climate change.

Gordon Robinson and his wife Lynette Robinson celebrated just down the street from their house in Provo, where Curtis was once their neighbor. The couple said they respect his environmental policies and his support for providing military aid to Ukraine as it fends off a Russian invasion.

“What I like about him is he’s willing to work on the other side and compromise with people,” Gordon Robinson said. “But he doesn’t waver on the issues that matter most.”

Curtis defeated Riverton Mayor Trent Staggs, who was little known outside his Salt Lake City suburb before Trump’s endorsement gave him a boost. But Trump’s support was not enough.

The former president’s brash style and comments about refugees and immigrants do not sit well with many members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, known widely as the Mormon church, who make up about half of the state’s 3.4 million residents.

Cox, a moderate Republican who took office in 2021, prevailed in the primary after he was booed earlier this year by GOP convention delegates, who tend to lean farther right. Cox defeated state Rep. Phil Lyman, a former county commissioner turned state legislator who espoused false claims of election fraud following the 2020 presidential election.

After his win, Cox said he was proud of Utah voters.

“Tonight we restored our faith in the Republican party and our faith in the people of Utah. They don’t respond to the lies, to the made up conspiracy theories,” he said.

Cox will face Democratic nominee Brian King, a state representative, in November. Utah hasn’t had a Democrat in the governor’s office since 1985.

Also Tuesday, state Sen. Mike Kennedy defeated four other Republicans battling for the open 3rd District U.S. House seat that Curtis is vacating to run for Senate.

In Utah’s 2nd District, Trump-backed U.S. Rep. Celeste Maloy is seeking her first full term on Capitol Hill after winning a special election last fall. She faces challenger Colby Jenkins, a retired U.S. Army officer and telecommunications specialist, who is endorsed by Romney’s counterpart, U.S. Sen. Mike Lee.

Primaries will be held Tuesday for other state and national offices, including the 1st District U.S. House seat, attorney general, state auditor, state Senate, state House and state Board of Education.

Utah 2024 primary election results

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Curtis, Cox wins Utah GOP primaries, Maloy too close to call