Utah GOP Primary Elections
Moderate Utah Republicans John Curtis and Spencer Cox win GOP primary elections for U.S. Senate and governor over far-right candidates loyal to Trump. Curtis defeats opponents endorsed by Trump, while Cox prevails over a candidate espousing false claims of election fraud. Both Curtis and Cox have shown a willingness to stake out different positions on issues where they disagree with Trump.
Key Points
- Curtis and Cox are heavy favorites in November's general election in Republican-leaning Utah
- Curtis will face Democratic nominee Caroline Gleich for the Senate seat
- Cox will face Democratic nominee Brian King for the governorship
Pros
- Moderate Republicans Curtis and Cox win over far-right candidates loyal to Trump
- Curtis and Cox have shown a willingness to stake out different positions on issues where they disagree with Trump
- Curtis wins the GOP primary for Mitt Romney's open U.S. Senate seat
Cons
- Some voters who supported Trump's pick were not fans of Trump but didn't see Curtis as conservative enough