Meet the candidate: Rep. John Curtis, running for US Senate

As Election Day nears, KSL NewsRadio is interviewing candidates to get their stance on today’s issues. Keep an eye on our election coverage as we continue to speak to the 2024 General Election candidates.

SALT LAKE CITY — Republican Rep. John Curtis represents Utahns in the 3rd Congressional District and is running for the U.S. Senate.

He attended Brigham Young University in business management and later worked for local businesses.

Curtis was the mayor of Provo, Utah from 2010 to 2017, before winning a special election to replace Jason Chaffetz in the 3rd Congressional District.

Rep. Curtis spoke with KSL At Night hosts Maura Carabello and Leah Murray on Monday, Oct. 21. A partial transcript and the full podcast are provided below.

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This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

HOST MAURA CARABELLO: How do you gain influence in this esteemed body, [the U.S. Senate]? How do you start to sort that?

GUEST REP. JOHN CURTIS: I think the best way to answer that question is … to be John Curtis. During the campaign, I was constantly asked, ‘Are you more like Mike Lee, or you’re more like Mitt Romney?’

I would always smile and I say, ‘Look, if you expect me to be Mitt or Mike, or I’m going to disappoint you.’

The good news … for the voters is I have a seven-year track record. They know what they’re getting. 

HOST LEAH MURRAY: I really teach my students that campaigns are the answer to the question, ‘Why should I vote for this person?’ So what is the answer that you’re offering voters?

CURTIS: We don’t want to send somebody there [to the U.S. Senate] who was untested or untried. I’ve been very blessed to have had a private-sector life.  [I was] the mayor of Provo for eight years, served in the House for seven years.

I bring a track record, and it’s a track record of success. We’ve passed over 20 bills in my seven years in the House, and these are bills dealing with … public lands, small business regulation, human trafficking.

And not just me, but my team. We bring an experience that I think is ready to start day one.

MURRAY: You are a congressman. Do you bring seniority into the Senate?

CURTIS: I do get to bring my seniority with me from the House to the Senate, which is a big deal for Utah.

We’re not starting over without seniority, and like it or not, seniority is a big deal. It matters where you sit in a room. It matters where your order is speaking.

Rep. John Curtis on environmental stewardship and Republicans

CARABELLO: I would love to hear what you’ve heard over and over from citizens about the notion of environmental stewardship.

CURTIS: When I told my team I was going to jump into climate, they all predicted my demise, right?

Because Republicans just shouldn’t talk about climate. But the experience has been so incredibly rewarding.

I was told when we formed, we call it the Conservative Climate Caucus, that we’d have five members. Today there’s 85 House members.

MURRAY: Do you bring that approach to everything? Like, you will not be told Republicans shouldn’t be talking about this?

CURTIS: In my current district, I represent Moab and Park City. Let’s just admit it, [those are] a little bit more liberal areas.

I love to tease them that they hate that they like me. Because I do listen.

And that doesn’t mean that I always agree with them, but everybody in the district and in the state deserves to be listened to and have their opinion heard.

Please listen to the interview in its entirety, below.

 

Related:

• Meet the candidate: Caroline Gleich, running for US Senate
• Meet the candidate: Natalie Pinkney, running for Salt Lake County Council At-Large C
• Meet the candidate: Derek Brown, running for Utah attorney general

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