Rep. John Curtis has won the Republican primary for the U.S. Senate seat in Utah, overcoming challenges from Trump-endorsed Riverton Mayor Trent Staggs and former Utah House Speaker Brad Wilson. Curtis, who has served in Congress since 2017, is now poised to succeed retiring Sen. Mitt Romney, according to AP projections.

Curtis’s victory is a significant development in the race, especially considering the endorsements his opponents received. Staggs was backed by former President Donald Trump, Sen. Rand Paul, and Vivek Ramaswamy. Trump endorsed Staggs as a staunch “MAGA” supporter dedicated to the “America First” principles.

Curtis’s political history includes a brief stint as a Democrat in 2000, but he has been a consistent Republican since rejoining the party in 2007. His strong polling numbers and established congressional record contributed to his primary win.

Despite Staggs receiving the Utah Republican Party’s endorsement and winning the most votes at the state convention, Curtis led in pre-primary polls. A Noble Predictive Insights poll from June showed Curtis with a 20-point lead over Staggs, and a HarrisX poll indicated he was 23 points ahead of Wilson.

Curtis’s primary victory sets the stage for him to potentially secure Romney’s Senate seat in the general election. With strong polling numbers and significant support within the party, Curtis is well-positioned to continue the GOP’s hold on the seat. The focus now shifts to the general election, where Curtis will aim to leverage his primary success into a Senate win.