Utah’s Senate race became one to watch when Sen. Mitt Romney announced he would not seek another term. The initial crowded Republican field was whittled down to four candidates who either took the signature route to the ballot or the state GOP nomination convention:
- John Curtis, current House Representative for Utah’s 3rd Congressional District
- Trent Staggs, mayor of Riverton City, Utah
- Jason Walton, an entrepreneur
- Brad Wilson, developer and former Utah Speaker of the House
We asked Utahns what mattered to them during the primary season and that feedback informed this primary voter guide.
Methodology: An identical survey was sent to all three campaigns. Provided answers were fact-checked prior to the publication of this guide and we included links and/or editor’s notes on our findings. If a candidate did not respond, KUER leaned on public statements, interviews and additional reporting to provide voters with useful information. Candidates appear in alphabetical order by surname.
Why do you want this job? (Mikaela, Morgan County)
- Curtis: My focus has always been representing the state well in Washington D.C. I'm in a position to be more effective than anyone else in this race. I've invested deeply in relationships and have seniority others simply do not.
Staggs: Staggs did not respond to the KUER candidate survey. The answer here is based on his campaign website.
“Trent understands that our way of life here is unique and effective, and under his leadership, Riverton has become the best-run city in Utah. Trent was raised here, and lived almost his entire life here. He understands that Washington needs more of Utah, not the other way around,” via his website.
[Editor’s note: It is unclear by which ranking where Riverton is acknowledged as “the best-run city.” National rankings, such as the Milken Institute's “Best-Performing Cities,” have instead acknowledged Provo-Orem with top honors.]
- Walton: I’m the only Republican political outsider running for the United States Senate. Americans are tired of paying more but getting less. The cost of food, gas, and interest rates has all gone up. Sending more career politicians to Washington is not the solution; they’re the problem. They’re addicted to spending money we don’t have on things we don’t need. They’re causing inflation by driving the federal debt to go up and the value of our money to go down. My opponents are all career politicians. I’ve never run for elected office. My wife and I started a pest control business in our garage and grew it into 26 states without outside investors. It was hard, but we did it by living within a budget, which is the same principle that every household in America follows if they want to succeed. I’ll use the skills learned in business to stop runaway inflation by forcing politicians to spend only what we give them by passing a balanced budget amendment within two terms, or I won’t run for re-election. If the other candidates don’t make that same promise – then they care more about their own careers than about our country!
Wilson: Wilson did not respond to the KUER candidate survey. The answer here is based on statements from the Wilson campaign website and an interview with UVU Review.
“Our nation is at a crossroads. Our freedoms are under attack and we need a conservative fighter with the guts to shatter the status quo and restore the values that have made our country great.” via Wilson campaign website“We need to make sure we elect a Republican that’s going to go back and reflect Utah’s values and do it in a really effective way. And my objective in all of this is to go back and represent Utah to Washington D.C., not represent Washington D.C. to Utah. We need someone fighting for us back there.” via UVU Review
If elected, how do you plan to represent all Utahns, not just those of your own party? (Alison, Salt Lake County)
- Curtis: I'll continue doing what I've always done - show up and listen to everyone. We can have civil disagreements but always respectfully talk them through.
Staggs: Staggs did not respond to the KUER candidate survey. The answer here is based on an interview with Cailley Chella of PBS Utah.
“If elected, I plan on representing all of Utah. I've been doing that for 10, going on 11 years now in elected office in Riverton, working with my council to represent the entirety of that community and plan on doing the same elected in the U.S. Senate.”
Walton: I intend to listen to all Utahns and vote my conscience and my principles. All votes should be cast based on our Republican form of democracy prescribed in the Constitution, which properly allows the majority to consider the rights of the minority protecting them from majority tyranny.
[Editor’s note: For context, the Constitution of the United States established a federal democratic republic form of government. There is a majority rule with minority rights, such as the Bill of Rights.]
Wilson: Wilson did not respond to the KUER candidate survey. The answer here is based on an interview with KUTV 2.
“Well, I think to do this job well, you’ve got to listen to Utahns from different parts of the state, with different backgrounds, from different parties, so you have all of the information you need to make good, informed decisions back in Washington D.C. and I’m committed to doing that. That’s the way I served as Speaker of the House, it’s the way that I will be back as the next U.S. Senator of Utah.” via KUTV 2
What are you doing to lessen political polarization? (Erika, Salt Lake County)
Curtis: My style isn't one of calling out individuals or giving them a reason not to work with me. The best thing for Utah is also the best thing to stopping the impact of polarization — work and be respectful. Lead by example and hope Americans (from both sides) stop rewarding behavior we don't like.
[Editor’s note: note: While Curtis has on occasion called out President Joe Biden in some social media posts, we found no evidence of his regularly singling out political opponents.]
Staggs: Staggs did not respond to the KUER candidate survey. The answer here is based on his campaign website.
“In just 20 years, the importance of patriotism to Americans has dropped from 70% to 38%, and the value of religion dropped from 62% to 39%. Community involvement has sunk from 62% to 27% in just four years.
The cause of this cultural damage is a new religion called wokeness.
Wokeness has infiltrated almost every aspect of our daily life, fomenting hostility and anger under the false flag of “tolerance.” While many companies who subscribe to ESG guidelines “get woke and go broke,” wokeness now has the force of law under the corrupt Biden Administration.
Wokeness is a false religion with no business in our government. It must be ripped out wherever it shows its ugly head.
As Senator, I will be woke’s worst enemy,” via his website.
[Editor’s note: The 70% mark Staggs is citing is from a 1998 Wall Street Journal/NBC poll and dissected in this New York Times opinion column. Those respondents said patriotism was “very important.” The follow-up poll for “very important” in 2023 was 38%. However, if you add both the “very important” and the “somewhat important” in that 2023 poll, that brings it up to 73% on the importance of patriotism. The same distinction holds for the religion citation. If both of 2023’s “very important” and “somewhat important” are considered, the drop is from 89% to 60%. And for Community involvement, the “very important” (27%) and “somewhat important” (53%) total to 80%. ]
- Walton: I intend to base everything I do on the Constitution, which is neither partisan nor polarizing.
- Wilson: Wilson did not respond to the KUER candidate survey. KUER fact checkers could not find any public statements on political polarization.
How will you build consensus in Washington to address immigration issues? (Judy, Salt Lake County)
- Curtis: The single largest disappointment since being elected is the unwillingness from both parties to get something passed. It's clear there isn't an appetite for doing anything top to bottom so I'd suggest taking the issues one at a time.
Staggs: Staggs did not respond to the KUER candidate survey. The answer here is based on his campaign website.
“Every country enforces border security and travel of non-citizens. However, this has become the defining controversy of our time. Americans have been so kind-hearted for so long that the idea of enforcing our own laws has become controversial.
A sensible immigration policy is not what the enemies of freedom want. The globalists who hate America have made it clear that illegal immigration is the way they’ll do it. When the bad guys tell you what their evil plan is, you should probably pay attention,” via his website.
- Walton: In this country of millions, consensus in terms of unanimity is impossible, but we can build toward a general agreement. Immigration is a matter of public safety. From that viewpoint, it is clear that we must have border security to protect Americans from criminals, drug cartels, and terrorists. A nation without border security is a nation with no security at all. Border security includes implementing a stay-in-Mexico policy while allowing foreigners to legally apply for citizenship. It also includes finishing the wall.
Wilson: Wilson did not respond to the KUER candidate survey. The answer here is based on an interview with KUTV 2.
“This issue has gone unsolved for far too long and we need leadership in Washington D.C. that is going to solve it. And getting hard things done in a legislative body isn’t easy, right? You’ve got to get people there that are going to focus on an issue and be really gritty about it, lean into it, and make sure that you get enough people to go along with the solution until you find a resolution to it. And we haven’t had enough people in Washington that have been focused on this. It’s one of the things I look most forward to leaning into most heavily when I get back to Washington because Utahns are frustrated.” via KUTV 2
What will you do to support public education? (CJ, Salt Lake County)
- Curtis: The last thing you want is the federal government dictating to local officials and school boards how to run districts. Issues are very different across the country. One size in education clearly doesn't fit all. This is a state issue.
Staggs: Staggs did not respond to the KUER candidate survey. The answer here is based on his campaign website.
“The federal government has no business being involved in education. It only accounts for 7.8% of the state education budget in Utah, but tells us 100% of what to teach*.
More money is not the solution. The Federal government has almost $175 billion in budget for education in this fiscal year.** Despite this, outcomes have consistently gotten worse, while the cost of higher education is averaging more than twice the rate of inflation.***
We need greater accountability for schools, options for parents, and results for students. For reform to be meaningful, parents must have real options to meet their child's unique needs. Furthermore, we must end the cancer of wokeness that has infiltrated so many of our schools,” via his website.
[Editor’s note: *Utah’s core standards of education are handled by the state through law established by the Utah Legislature. The U.S. Department of Education acknowledges that it does not have a role in curriculum or state education standards.
**For fiscal year 2024, the Department of Education is budgeted at $111.41B.
*** Finaid says their rule of thumb is that tuition will “increase at about twice the general inflation rate.” The Kansas City Fed analyzed tuition from 1980-2004 and found that grew about 7% a year, “significantly outpacing the overall inflation rate.”]
Walton: The largest imbalance of oversight is the large swaths of public lands owned by the federal government in the State of Utah compared to other states. Utah is 63% federally owned and controlled; whereas, 34 states east of the Rocky Mountains are each less than 2% federal-owned. This creates an education funding crisis because the federal government makes payments to the states in lieu of taxes that are significantly less in revenue than could be generated if the land was state-controlled or privately owned. Generally speaking, these public lands need to be largely divested by the federal government to the States, which can manage them locally better than Washington, D.C. bureaucrats
[Editor’s note: Walton provided the same answer for both the public education and public lands questions of our survey. As part of the issues on his campaign website, he pledges to “give parents more control of education” and “eliminate the Federal Department of Education.”]
Wilson: Wilson did not respond to the KUER candidate survey. The answer here is based on his campaign website.
Defend parental rights in schools and fight the Left’s attempts to indoctrinate our kids. Provide parents full transparency into their children’s classrooms. Stop federal overreach to let local parents, educators and lawmakers give our kids the best education possible. via Wilson campaign website
How would you balance the issue of federal vs. state oversight of public lands? (Jacquelyn, Garfield County)
[Editor's note: A 2020 Congressional Research Service report says the percentage of land in Utah that is federally owned is 63.1%. However, this analysis predates the Biden administration’s restoration of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments. Utah leaders frequently cite a higher percentage that includes state and federally-owned and managed land.]
- Curtis: There's a principle I live by when talking about public lands — the closer you are to digging in the dirt, the better you will be at managing it. I don't want someone sitting behind a desk in Washington D.C. telling our local farmers and ranchers what they can and cannot do. Utah needs to have the most influential seat at the table when talking about land management in our state.
Staggs: Staggs did not respond to the KUER candidate survey. The answer here is based on his campaign website.
“One of the greatest assets Western states have are our natural resources. But how can we thrive when distant bureaucrats control more of our states than we do? The answer is a return to federalism, where the central government works for states, rather than the other way around.
While privileged Northeastern states all own 99% of their own land*, Western states are much less fortunate. We can clearly see how oppressive the federal government has become with land ownership. The feds own about 40% of Wyoming and Arizona, more than 60% of Utah and Idaho, and a shocking 80% of Nevada!**
This massive land grab has denied Utahns their right to self-governance and stewardship. As your Senator, I will fight to reclaim the land that was ours,” via his website.
[Editor’s note: *According to the Congressional Research Service, 14% of New Hampshire is federal land, 0.8% of New York, 1.2% of Massachusetts, 1.5% of Maine, 7.8% of Vermont, 3.6% of New Jersey, 9.3% of Virginia and 2.2% of Pennsylvania.
**According to the Congressional Research Service, 46.7% of Wyoming is federal land, 38.6% of Arizona, 63.1% of Utah and 80.1% of Nevada.]
- Walton: The largest imbalance of oversight is the large swaths of public lands owned by the federal government in the State of Utah compared to other states. Utah is 63% federally owned and controlled; whereas, 34 states east of the Rocky Mountains are each less than 2% federal-owned. This creates an education funding crisis because the federal government makes payments to the states in lieu of taxes that are significantly less in revenue than could be generated if the land was state-controlled or privately owned. Generally speaking, these public lands need to be largely divested by the federal government to the States, which can manage them locally better than Washington, D.C. bureaucrats.
Wilson: Wilson did not respond to the KUER candidate survey. The answer here is based on an interview with UVU Review.
“It’s a very complicated issue but it is also very problematic … we know in this state that the state can manage these lands better. We’re investing a record amount of money, I mean significantly more money than the feds are in Utah public lands right now, creating trails for people to recreate on and taking care of our forests, and reclaiming our forests, and the state is doing the heavy lifting the feds should be doing. The feds are just creating chaos in this state.” via UVU Review
[Editor’s note: For context, a 2017 post from the University of Utah's Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute summarized a research paper authored in part by Institute researchers that found "states are likely to have management costs equivalent to federal agencies."]
What is your approach to environmental protection and energy production? (Rob, Salt Lake County)
[Editor’s note: For context, the U.S. Energy Information Administration notes that renewable energy production and consumption reached record highs in 2022, of about 13%. Petroleum accounted for 36% of the U.S. energy consumption in 2022, while coal accounted for 10%. U.S. total annual energy production has exceeded total annual energy consumption since 2019.]
- Curtis: In 2050 we'll be using energy that are affordable, reliable, and clean. There's room for all kinds of energy sources as long as they meet those three points. The market is driving this more than policy in D.C. My approach would be more of allowing the markets and customer demand dictate the outcomes. If fossil fuels can burn at zero emissions — why shouldn't they be part of the mix? If we can decrease the cost of nuclear — why shouldn't it be part of the mix? If we can figure out reasonable battery storage — why shouldn't it be part of the mix?
Staggs: Staggs did not respond to the KUER candidate survey. The answer here is based on his campaign website and an interview with Cailley Chella, PBS Utah.
“Environmental stewardship is important, but destroying our way of life is not. I'm a firm believer that technological advances have benefited mankind and the environment in the past, and will continue to do so in the future,” via his website.“I am all about energy dominance. I've got a background in oil and gas, and I believe that the U.S. can and should be energy independent and also dominant. We were there under President Trump, and we can get there again. And so I plan on helping bring that type of energy policy back to the United States.” via an interview with Cailley Chella, PBS Utah.
- Walton: My approach is Constitutional. Congress's power to protect the environment and energy production is largely rooted in the Commerce Clause, which states that Congress has the power to regulate commerce among the several states. This clause was intended to make commerce regular among the states, not to prohibit it, except in cases of danger to interstate citizens. Congress has usurped this power to make itself the gatekeeper of environmental protection, energy production, and many other things regardless of whether any commerce (the buying, selling, bartering, and transporting of merchandise) is actually dangerous to the public in another state. The responsibility for environmental protection and energy production should mostly lie with state governments. Congress’s decision to intervene must be based on real, factual danger to the public with an interstate commerce interest.
Wilson: Wilson did not respond to the KUER candidate survey. The answer here is based on his campaign website and reporting from Deseret News and KSL.
Reverse the Biden Administration’s policies that have blocked America’s energy production and made us dependent on foreign nations. Expand America’s energy production, including nuclear power, natural gas, oil, solar, wind and other new technologies. Stop the federal overreach that is trying to tell Utahns what car they can drive and the stove they can cook on. via Wilson campaign websiteUtah passed a measure to set up a $40 million trust fund aimed at conservation and restoration to benefit the Great Salt Lake. via Deseret NewsHe has also hosted annual summits dedicated to Great Salt Lake preservation efforts. Via KSL
What is your stance on abortion? What is the role of the government in regulating abortion? (Kate, Salt Lake City)
- Curtis: I support where we've landed on this. Allow the states to make the decision.
Staggs: Staggs did not respond to the KUER candidate survey. The answer here is based on reporting from KSL.
“Staggs described himself as a ‘federalist,’ not just a conservative, but said he's open to a federal ban on abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy,” via KSL.
- Walton: I'm pro-life. I agree with the recent Supreme Court Decision overturning Roe v. Wade and sending the regulation of abortion to the States.
Wilson: Wilson did not respond to the KUER candidate survey. The answer here is based on reporting from KSL:
Brad Wilson’s statement in response to the overturning of Roe V. Wade on June 24, 2022: “Today is a monumental and long-awaited day in our nation’s history as the Supreme Court recognized that ‘the authority to regulate abortion is returned to the people and their elected representatives.’ In alignment with our strong-held value of protecting children, Utah has legislation in place anticipating this decision and SB 174, passed in 2020, will now go into effect. As a pro-life conservative, and one who was adopted, this issue rings very personal to me and I stand with my fellow Utahns who believe human life is worth protecting. We will continue to provide state resources and services to women who find themselves with an unplanned pregnancy and will evaluate the need to increase access to and funding for those resources.” via KSL
Do you support aid to Ukraine? What role does the U.S. have in international conflicts? (Janet, Weber County)
- Curtis: I voted to support funding Ukraine. It's more complicated than this one question though. It's part of the signal we send around the world. We can't abandon our allies and can never allow Putin to get a win. This same principle applies to China.
Staggs: Staggs did not respond to the KUER candidate survey. The answer here is based on reporting from KSL.
"So much of what happens in Washington, D.C., is by people who are actively voting against the will of the American people, and I know it because I've done probably 80-plus town halls across the state," he said. "Republicans in particular, they don't want what's going on back there. They don't want the spending; they don't want the funding of endless war. ... But these things just continue to happen," via KSL.
- Walton: The United States should support its own borders before Ukraine's. The U.S. is positioned both militarily and financially to facilitate resolutions to international conflict – and we should lead! However, that does not mean we should have to fund the wars of every nation that asks for help, especially if such a request causes us to go deeply into debt hurting our ability to defend ourselves. That said, the U.S. has signed several treaties that obligate it to defend other countries and vice versa, most notably, we’ve signed the North Atlantic Treaty that created NATO. It is the role of the Senate to provide advice and consent on the ratification of or withdrawal from any treaty and to vote on declarations of war and authorizations for the use of military force. I will approach such decisions with one thought foremost in mind, what is best for the defense of America.
Wilson: Wilson did not respond to the KUER candidate survey. The answer here is based on an interview with KUTV 2.
“With Ukraine, people are frustrated, Americans are frustrated, there’s been a hundred plus billion dollars of American taxpayer dollars sent there. They want to know where that money’s gone, they want to know what the strategy is for that money and they want to have a lot more accountability for the money that’s going to go there in the future, assuming Congress does that. I don’t think those things are too much to ask for and stopping Putin is something I think we all believe in. He’s clearly an enemy on the global stage, someone that would love to make sure America is weakened every chance he gets. But if we’re going to support the war in Ukraine we’ve got to be very strategic about it and I think it’s fair for Congress to expect that from the White House as they continue to put money into that effort.” via KUTV 2
[Editor’s note: For context, the Council on Foreign Relations broke down how much U.S. aid is sent to Ukraine. It was last updated on May 9, 2024. Debates in Congress on aid have laid divisions in the Republican Party bare over whether or not to confront Russia.]
Do you believe the 2020 election was stolen? Will you accept the results of the 2024 presidential election? (Rebecca, Davis County; John, Salt Lake County)
- Curtis: No and yes.
Staggs: Staggs did not respond to the KUER candidate survey. KUER fact checkers did not find any public comments on whether or not he believes the election was stolen or whether or not he will accept the results of the 2024 presidential election. However, Staggs has received an endorsement from former President Donald Trump.
Additionally, the Daily Herald reported that Staggs said he thinks “there are legitimate cases of fraud in the 2020 election, without a doubt,” He made the remarks during a town hall in Provo on Nov. 13, 2023. The Herald noted that he would prefer to have only paper ballots with photo ID for voting.
- Walton: I’ll leave the 2020 election to historians to debate. However, what is most important going forward is election integrity. If the American public doesn’t believe their elections are free and fair then we run the risk of Americans feeling as if they are being taxed without fairly elected representation. It’s not even a matter of whether an election was really stolen or not. It’s a matter of perception and people’s reactions to those perceptions. Therefore, election integrity must be a priority for our nation. Elections must have fair, documented, and transparent processes that are both followed and auditable to ensure public trust. If those safeguards are in place and functioning, we are duty-bound to accept the results.
Wilson: Wilson did not respond to the KUER candidate survey. KUER fact checkers could not find a direct answer to either of these questions. However, Wilson did have the following to say about election integrity in April 2023 from a speech at the 2023 Utah Republican Organizing Convention as reported by The Salt lake Tribune:
“D.C. sits back and gawks at claims of election fraud and conspiracy while on the other hand, Utah acts. We know that without safe and secure elections that democracy stands at risk. And while Utah has some of the safest and most reliable elections in the nation it does not mean that we can turn a blind eye, we cannot turn a blind eye to rare opportunities for improvement. So after this legislative session, with bills we’ve passed, an audit will occur after every election cycle. If D.C.’s not going to act on election integrity, Utah will show them.”
KUER's Sean Higgins, Caroline Ballard, Elaine Clark and Jim Hill contributed to this guide alongside Kelton Wells and Cailley Hella of PBS Utah and independent fact checkers Trisha Loveless, Connor Sexton and Brisa Odenthal.
This voter guide was produced in collaboration with PBS Utah and America Amplified.
