(ConservativeJournal.org) – The mayor of Riverton, Utah, Trent Staggs, has secured the Utah Republican Party’s nomination. He will fight for Senator Mitt Romney’s seat. Staggs’ nomination comes right after an endorsement from former President Donald Trump.
Staggs clinched victory at the state GOP convention with nearly 70% of the vote, rallying the crowd with speeches about his intent to challenge the establishment in DC and uphold Trump’s America First agenda. The final tally was announced late Saturday after over 12 hours of decisions. 3rd District congressman, John Curtis, ended up securing second place with 30% of the vote.
Initially capturing only 42% of support in the first round, Staggs garnered momentum as other candidates withdrew. Staggs will now advance to the June 25 primary, where he’ll compete against contenders who also gathered enough support through votes. These include Curtis, former House Speaker Brad Wilson, and Moxie Pest Control CEO Jason Walton.
Staggs, greeted with thunderous applause after Trump’s endorsement, has been positioning himself as the most Trump-aligned candidate since announcing his candidacy in May 2023. Trump’s last minute endorsement helped re-shaped the Senate race dynamics, with candidates vying for his favor alongside Utah’s senior senator, Mike Lee.
Delegates rallied behind Staggs and expressed their support amid accusations of negative campaigning from rival candidates. Staggs vowed to fulfill his campaign pledges. These include passing a balanced budget amendment and attempting to introduce legislation to defund NATO, agreeing with Trump’s take that too many countries in the organization are not paying their dues to the US.
Curtis maintained a steady second place, saying that it’s better to have proof of actual accomplishments over rhetoric. His tenure in Congress highlighted achievements in land transfers, energy policy, and stances on China.
As the primary approaches, Staggs, Curtis, Wilson, and Walton are set to compete unless they withdraw before next week’s ballot finalization. The GOP nominee will face contenders from other political parties in the November general election.
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