Former President Donald Trump endorsed Trent Staggs in Utah's GOP primary race for the Senate on Saturday. (Getty Images, Trent Staggs campaign)
Riverton Mayor Trent Staggs, who gained notoriety in 2020 for his opposition to mask mandates amid the coronavirus pandemic, announced his decision to enter the race last May, prior to Romney's announcement that he would retire from the chamber at the end of his term next year.
"I love my children, and I'm worried about the country they will inherit if I sit on the sidelines," Staggs told Fox News Digital at the time. "For too long, we've allowed government bureaucrats to spend away the next generation's future, and we need more voices willing to push back."
"Mitt Romney fits in the Senate much better than I do. We've elected far too many people who 'fit in' in Washington. I'm not going to Washington to make friends, I'm going to make change," he added.
Romney, who won the GOP nomination for president in 2012 and was later defeated by Barack Obama, announced in September that he would not be seeking a second term in the Senate.
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Staggs was one of the first candidates to pose a potential challenge to Romney and has since picked up endorsements from several prominent Republicans and the state's largest police union. (Trent Staggs)
"He understands the need to protect our safety as well as our working conditions, and we wholeheartedly endorse his candidacy," the union said in a statement to Fox last June.
The winner at Saturday’s state GOP convention, which tends to favor far-right candidates who appeal to the most zealous party members, may get a bump in the race. Some losing candidates still may qualify for the June 25 primary ballot by gathering signatures, so Republican voters will ultimately decide the party’s pick to succeed Romney.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Kyle Morris covers politics for Fox News. Story tips can be sent via email and on X: @RealKyleMorris.
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