Move over, Pierre Delecto. There’s a new contender for your seat in the U.S. Senate. Trent Staggs, the mayor of Riverton in Utah, has announced that he will be challenging Mitt Romney for the next election. Staggs’ announcement on Twitter began as standard GOP fare. But he quickly attacked Mitt for what most Utah Republicans are thinking and saying.
Romney won his seat in part because he combined his Mormon roots and the success of 2002 Winter Olympics. Romney’s conservative credentials were not enough for many Utah GOP members. He lost to Mike Kennedy, forcing him into a Utah GOP primary. Romney has been conspicuously ‘busy’ at Utah Republican conventions.
Media outlets have the mistaken impression that Utahns are Romney fans. The media needs to speak to more Utahns. Beehive Republicans distrusted Romney because he had sunk his campaign against Obama. His track record with “RomneyCare” and the fact that he was not from Utah or lived here for a long time also raised eyebrows.
Romney’s criticism of Trump after his election did not improve his image among hard-line Republicans. His weak, middle-of the-road immigration stance and refusal to endorse incumbent Mike Lee made matters worse. Utah Republicans are most upset by the fact that Romney, a career politician who tries to get the best of both worlds in his own interest, is neither Republican or Democrat.
Last year, he showed this by supporting a carbon fee and the $1.7 trillion budget bill. There was also this classic statement.
Joe Biden, while a good man in his own right, has not yet been able to overcome our nation’s malaise of denial and mistrust. Donald Trump’s return would only exacerbate the disease, making it likely incurable. Congress is especially disappointing: our elected officials are more likely to wave their fingers in the air than to show backbone. Washington is too often a testament to the maxim that evil can only thrive if good men do nothing.
Joe Biden, who is loyal only to himself, and who would do better selling the snake oil that he sprays in his hair, told Politico that he thought he might win reelection last year. He may win in Massachusetts but not in Utah. Who knows, but the progressives are hard at work for some time now trying to undermine Utah Republicans.
For his part Staggs promises to fight for a strong military, energy independence and secure borders. He also said that “Wokeness” is a false faith and has no place in government. His pitch has been dominated by the usual GOP bullet points. While most Republican voters have heard these bullet points a thousand or more times, Staggs is a proven leader in the city. Staggs said the following about Romney’s voting history to The Deseret News.
I can’t even believe we have a debt of $32 trillion. It’s immoral to put such a burden on my children and future generations. “It’s time for us to be uncompromising in our efforts to get our financial house in order.”
In 2020, the government showed its heavy hand. “I was one of those who said no to lockdowns and mandates and pushed them back,” he said. “I pushed very hard back because I didn’t think that was the government’s purview. And I believe I was proven right.
Can Staggs deliver? He will be the first senator if he wins. Staggs, at least temporarily, is filling the shoes of Romney, who may or may not have held the position. Let’s hope he also takes Romney’s Senate Seat.