Even though Sen. John Curtis has a new title, he's not new to Washington.
Curtis was sworn into the Senate on Jan. 3 and now occupies the seat once held by Mitt Romney. He joins the newly GOP-led body after representing Utah’s Third Congressional District in the House since 2017.
He told reporters that he will continue to work on many of the same things he did in the House, including public lands, energy policy and what he called “principled legislation.”
“You'll see me continue to lead an effort for a conservative climate approach and holding China in check, unleashing American energy, public lands and federal lands, and bringing a stronger position for Utah on those [issues].”
Curtis also said he will work to accomplish incoming President Donald Trump’s priorities like securing the southern border and reducing inflation. Curtis held back from endorsing Trump during the campaign and said during an Oct. 10 candidate debate he was “not afraid to push back” if Trump’s actions are not in line with the state’s values.
Another thing Curtis wants to bring to the Senate are the “pioneer values” of hard work, responsibility and honesty. Those values, Curtis said, were embodied by his late grandfather, who he said was once named “the strongest man in the west.”
“There was an article in the Idaho Post that called him a strong man,” he said. “He was not just strong physically, he was strong with his intellect and his character and his will. I want to be like him, strong in promoting these values, strong in leadership, strong in principles and the values that make Utah strong and America exceptional.”
Curtis could also have a leg up on other freshman Senators when the 119th Congress begins work this month.
“One of the big advantages he has is that he knows Washington,” said University of Utah political science professor Matthew Burbank.
“He's been there as a House member, he has worked with lots of people. He worked previously with the Trump administration and he sort of knows that process. He is the junior senator from the state of Utah, but he's not coming in as a novice.”
That’s not only because of his time in the House, but because of the eight years he served as the Mayor of Provo before coming to Washington, D.C.
“I'll be watching to see how he will bring in that local government tie,” said Associate Director of the University of Utah’s Hinckley Institute of Politics, Morgan Lyon Cotti.
“There are members of Congress who stay in office because they don't do their job. That's what their voters like. At the local level, if people's garbage isn't getting picked up, you're gone.”
For his part, Curtis wishes more of his colleagues in Washington had that same experience.
“If I had a magic wand, I'd require everybody to serve in local government,” he said. “I miss my days as mayor and whether it's learning how to talk to a group of constituents who might be unhappy with something you're doing, or learning how important it is to get out and be with the people, I think those were a lot of lessons I learned.”
Curtis’ committee assignments include seats on the Senate Commerce, Environment and Public Works, Foreign Relations and Small Business Committees.
One of his first jobs, though, will be confirming President Trump’s cabinet appointments. Some, like Pete Hegseth for Secretary of Defense and Kash Patel for FBI Director, have been controversial.
Curtis said he had “some really tough questions” for Hesgeth and Patel when he met with them privately. He thinks that the cabinet picks should be confirmed as soon as possible, but “that doesn't mean we can be sloppy.”
“As a person, an elected official who reads about myself in the press all the time, I know that not everything out there is accurate,” he said. “I'm trying to wade through and understand what's accurate and what's not and trying to hold off any decisions about whether those are concerns until I know more about them.”
