Curtis, who currently represents Utah’s 3rd Congressional District, joins a crowded field of Republican candidates such as former Utah House Speaker Brad Wilson and Brent Hatch, son of the late Sen. Orrin Hatch, who declared his candidacy on Tuesday.
Shortly after Romney announced in September that he wouldn’t be seeking reelection, Curtis began considering a run, with his team telling the Daily Herald in late September that he was “very serious” about running.
He then changed tones in early October, announcing in the Deseret News that he would be “staying the course in the House” and would not be running for Senate.
“The second I made that announcement, people started reaching out and asking me what it would take to get me to change my mind,” Curtis told the Daily Herald this week.
In mid-November, Curtis publicly stated he was reconsidering his decision after a political action committee, Conservative Values for Utah, began running a television ad encouraging the congressman to run for Senate, according to The Salt Lake Tribune.
Read more about Curtis' announcement at heraldextra.com.
This article is published through the Utah News Collaborative, a partnership of news organizations in Utah that aim to inform readers across the state.