Utah GOP senatorial candidate Trent Staggs on Wednesday, in a newly launched ad, called on voters to reject incumbent Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, and said he wants to bring the same approach to Washington that he used successfully as mayor in Riverton, Utah.
"I'm a successful businessman, husband, and father who believes the best government is a small one," Staggs said in the spot. "As mayor, I've cut spending, reduced taxes, and saved our city millions. I think we need that same approach in Washington."
Staggs added that challenging an incumbent senator won't be easy, and encouraged supporters to visit his website and join in the fight.
While launching his campaign last month, Staggs criticized Romney for supporting bipartisan bills, voting to convict former President Donald Trump in both impeachment trials, and for voting to confirm Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, reported The Washington Post.
Riverton, Utah is a city of about 45,000 people located near Salt Lake City.
While launching his bid, Staggs also noted that Romney had held residency in Massachusetts, where he was the governor from 2003-2007, and accused him of having broken promises he made while campaigning in 2018 to represent Utah in the Senate.
Romney, who was the GOP presidential nominee in 2012, has not yet announced if he's seeking reelection to the Senate for a second term, but Staggs has indicated he will be seeking the nomination for the seat, no matter what Romney decides.
Romney won the Senate with more than 62% of the vote in 2018, but the primary field of challengers is expected to grow, The Post reported. Last month, Republican Utah House Speaker Brad Wilson also announced he was forming an exploratory committee for the 2024 race.