Utah GOP Rep. John Curtis says he will not run for retiring Sen. Mitt Romney's seat, but will instead seek reelection to his House seat.
"My first reason for not jumping into the U.S. Senate race is very important to me. When I ran for my House seat, I made a commitment to the residents of the 3rd District," Curtis wrote in The Deseret News on Tuesday. "We've accomplished a lot but my work for them is not done. I believe we need elected leaders who are more concerned about doing their job than getting the next job."
Romney announced last month that he would be retiring at the end of his term, which will result in an open primary for his Senate seat in 2024.
Curtis, though, that it would "leave a commitment unfilled" if he walked away from his current job to run for Romney's seat.
The congressman added that he's not seeking the Senate seat because he dislikes career politicians.
"I've never liked career politicians," he said. "Imagine my discomfort when I woke up one day and saw that I had become one. I got involved in politics to challenge the establishment, to replace entrenched incumbents, and make way for fresh ideas. I invested considerable energy in shaking things up. The founders never intended for the United States of America to be run by career politicians."
And, Curtis said, "When I've accomplished what I set out to do in the House, it will be time for me to find other ways to serve my community. A crossing guard might be a lot of fun."
The Utah representative, though, noted that he's still "getting things done" for his state.
"I was recently named the ninth most effective Republican in that body," he said. "My staff was recently recognized as the No. 1 congressional office for accessibility and accountability. My team and I have worked very hard for the last six years to become effective in the House. It's now time to make this investment count by pursuing my priorities with resolve."
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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