Brad Wilson, a Utah Republican House Speaker, announced his plan to run against Republican Senator Mitt Romney in the 2024 election. He has formed an exploratory committee to prepare for the elections. According to Deseret News, Wilson formed the committee due to his concerns about the “out of control spending” in Washington.
MItt Romeny could be facing a real challenger https://t.co/6CEQdF85ea
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) April 14, 2023
He further stated that he wouldn’t let Romney’s decision influence him, as Romney has not announced his reelection run. However, Romney has already filed a “statement of candidacy” with the Federal Elections Commission on Tuesday.
Wilson stated that Utah values are different from those of Washington and that there is a need to bring Utah values to Washington. The Utah Speaker said, “We’ve got this amazing opportunity to send Utah values back to D.C., and to have a conservative fighter back there, doing things back there the way we do them here in the Beehive State.”
Although Romney has garnered backlash from Utah Republicans, Wilson has chosen not to criticize him. He stated that he hopes to bring something new to Washington.
Wilson believes that abortion should be approached at the state level and that America must have “a more clear objective” when it comes to the war in Ukraine. He said these while answering questions from journalists at Deseret News.
Romney has yet to decide on his reelection, having filed only a statement of candidacy with the Federal Elections Commission. His chief of staff, Liz Johnson, has confirmed that he has no new decision or announcement to make. She added that he would finalize his decision in the coming months.
In conclusion, Wilson’s exploratory committee is the first public sign that the senatorial bid will challenge Romney in the 2024 election. The Utah House Speaker believes that he can bring something new to Washington and that Utah’s values need representation in the federal government.