Candidates in Crowded GOP Utah House Race Vow to Fight Feds for Control of Public Lands

In a state where two-thirds of land is managed by federal agencies, Republicans in primary for Rep. John Curtis’ seat say they'll fight Biden energy policies

A tanker truck transports oil through the Uintah Basin south of Duchesne, Utah, on July 13, 2023. Rick Bowmer/AP Photo

SALT LAKE CITY–The race to replace retiring Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) in the U.S. Senate pits prominent Utah party rivals against each other in a Senate primary while also setting the stage for a competitive GOP battle for an open U.S. House seat.

Like most Utah elections, both contests will essentially be determined in the June 25 Republican general primaries. There are nearly 1 million registered GOP voters in Utah; and fewer than 300,000 registered Democrats.