John Curtis holds Senate campaign launch party

Rep. John Curtis gestured to his staff to wrap up their introduction before stepping into the limelight himself. Without wasting a breath, the Utah representative dove right into the reason why more than 500 people had gathered at a huge hall at a pest control company in Orem on a Monday night: “My name is John Curtis, and I’m running for U.S. Senate,” he said as the crowd erupted in loud cheers.

Curtis traced the timeline of his career, including serving as mayor of Provo for two terms in the early 2000s before winning a seat in the U.S. House in the 2017 special election for Utah’s 3rd District. Every step of the way, he said he asked himself a question: “Can we do better?”

Curtis said the U.S. “can do better” on public lands, energy policy — “it’s not right to shut down U.S. production of fuel” — and foreign policy related to China. He also said the federal budgeting process could use improvement while vowing to continue voting against “reckless Joe Biden spending all day.”

He asked the crowd for their support while officially kicking off his campaign.

“We can do better at getting results for you because you deserve that,” the Utah representative said.

In the contest to fill the Senate seat currently held by Sen. Mitt Romney, Curtis faces a long list of GOP opponents, including former Utah House Speaker Brad Wilson, Riverton Mayor Trent Staggs and the son of late Sen. Orrin Hatch, Brent Hatch.

“I didn’t take this decision lightly. I spent a lot of time making sure it was the right thing. And I feel very good,” Curtis told reporters after his speech.

Initially, after Romney announced his decision to leave the Senate, Curtis said he wouldn’t run for the seat. But on Jan. 2, the Utah representative formalized his run for the upper chamber, saying those closest to him encouraged him to give the matter another thought.

“The voices just kept growing in numbers and in volume. And to be honest one of those voices was my wife and my children,” he told the Deseret News at the time. “So I eventually started to ask myself the question ‘Did I rush into that decision?’”

Curtis’ wife, Sue, joined him at the campaign kickoff. She admitted she encouraged Curtis to run for the upper chamber because “I know that he will be really good at it,” she said.

Three of his 16, soon to be 17, grandchildren joined Curtis on stage during his announcement. His wife said that five of their children and four other grandchildren were scattered at the event, too.

His wife wasn’t the only one nudging Curtis to run for the Senate — the Carters, who have participated in the representative’s many campaigns over the years, also said they refused to take no for an answer.

“He’s a problem solver, not a flame thrower,” Angie Carter, a lecturer at Utah Valley University, told the Deseret News at the event. “He’s in it to make our country better. He does that from day one. ... And I’ve really admired that instead of so many other politicians I see are waiting around until it’s politically viable for them to do something.”

Troy Carter, a subcontractor, chimed in, pointing out that Curtis had showcased this proactive attitude by leading the conversation about climate-conscious energy policy among conservatives.

In addition to serving as vice chairman of the Energy, Climate, and Grid Security and Federal Lands subcommittees, Curtis chairs the Conservative Climate Caucus, which he founded in 2021. The caucus is now the fourth largest in the House with over 80 members, including Republican Reps. Blake Moore of Utah’s 1st District and Burgess Owens of Utah’s 4th. The American Conservative Coalition gave him the “Eco Right” award at the group’s annual summit last year.

But Curtis’ focus on environmental policy has also earned him criticism from some of his GOP House colleagues and other Republican candidates running for the Senate seat.

“His main issue right now is climate change,” Hatch told the Deseret News. “Climate change policy, it regulates us more, it hurts the economy, and the real issues that we’ve got to address right now are this debt and our border.”

Curtis hasn’t made any changes to his approach and said he wants voters to understand he’s a “complete candidate,” whose work is “tied in very deeply into energy” policy.

“People try to define conservativism as something like this or something like that. For me, it’s Utah values and a six year voting record that shows I’m right in line with Utah,” he told the Deseret News.

Curtis considers himself fortunate to have been in Congress, allowing voters to see how it works and what he stands for.

Still, he said, “I like to remind people if they’re expecting me to be Mitt Romney, I’m going to disappoint them. If they’re expecting me to be Mike Lee, I’m going to disappoint them. I’m John Curtis. And I’m really happy with who that is and what I’ve been able to do and accomplish.”

Longtime supporter Carter, who has voted for Romney in the past, said she isn’t looking for “a Romney clone” and likes Curtis’ “balanced approach.”

“I fear that most of the other candidates are in it for the power and the prestige, and not to work for the people. I feel that John is really in it to work for the people,” she added.

Meanwhile, Stella Clark, a student sitting next to the Carters at the campaign launch event, predicted Curtis will mostly line up with his predecessor on family and religious values.

Curtis and all 10 other GOP candidates have to gather at least 28,000 signatures to qualify for the Republican primary, which is scheduled for June 25, or else win the nomination at the state GOP convention. His campaign staff said efforts to get the required signatures are underway.