Curtis officially announced his campaign Wednesday after media reports about his intentions surfaced Tuesday evening.
The Republican who formerly served as mayor of Provo has gone back and forth for several months about putting his hat in the ring for the seat now occupied by Sen. Mitt Romney. Romney said last year he won’t run for reelection, citing his age.
In a campaign video posted on social media, Curtis says if elected, he’ll push back on federal spending and work to improve the country’s energy sector.
“I’ve been to the southern border, and I’ve seen what a disaster Biden’s policy is,” Curtis says in the video. “We must provide more resources to secure the border to stop illegal immigration… And I’ll continue to push back against D.C.’s takeover of what should be Utah’s land.”
In the U.S. House Curtis heads the Conservative Climate Caucus, which believes fossil fuels are part of the solution for climate change. The group educates Republicans on climate policies with a free-market approach, and organizes lawmakers to fight against more progressive proposals.
Curtis joins a long list of other declared candidates, including former Utah House Speaker Brad Wilson, former Mike Lee staffer Carolyn Phippens, Riverton Mayor Trent Staggs, and Brent Hatch, the son of late Sen. Orrin Hatch.
