Rep. John Curtis wins Utah GOP primary for Sen. Romney’s seat over Trump-backed opponent

U.S. Rep. John Curtis has won the Utah GOP primary for Mitt Romney’s open U.S. Senate seat, defeating one opponent who was endorsed by former President Donald Trump and others who said they supported Trump’s agenda.

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, meanwhile, is likely to win a second term after he beat his primary challenger on Tuesday.

The 64-year-old Curtis lost the official party nod at the state GOP convention but won as expected Tuesday after he qualified for the primary ballot by gathering signatures. That route to victory has become common for more moderate Republicans who do better in primaries when the state’s more muted Republican electorate gets its say.