Trump Endorses Trent Staggs to Replace Mitt Romney in Senate

Riverton, Utah, Mayor Trent Staggs addresses delegates at the Utah Republican Party Convention in Salt Lake City on April 27, 2024. Hannah Schoenbaum/AP Photo

Former President Donald Trump endorsed Trent Staggs, the mayor of Riverton, Utah, for a U.S. Senate seat currently held by Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah).

“Trent Staggs is 100 percent MAGA, and is running to fill” Mitt Romney’s seat, President Trump wrote in an April 27 Truth Social post, “as the next Senator from the Great State of Utah!”

“A Highly Successful Entrepreneur, who has served brilliantly as Mayor of Riverton for the past six years, Trent knows how to Create Jobs, Stop Inflation, Grow the Economy, and Secure the Border. As your next Senator, Trent will help us Unleash American Energy, Support our Military/Vets, and Protect our always-under-siege Second Amendment,” he added.

“Trent Staggs has my Complete and Total Endorsement—He will be a GREAT Senator, and never let you down!”

Responding to the former president’s comments, Mr. Staggs wrote in a post on X, formerly Twitter, that he was “honored to have the endorsement of Donald Trump!”

Mr. Romney had announced in September that he won’t be seeking reelection for his Senate seat in 2024. Mr. Staggs had declared his intention to run for Mr. Romney’s seat a few months earlier in May 2023.

“Right now, Washington is broken. And every time we compromise, it costs us trillions. We have more IRS agents than border agents. And while we’re paying $4 a gallon for gas, they’re sending our money unchecked to Ukraine. Now we’re almost $32 trillion in debt. Enough is enough,” Mr. Staggs said at the time.

He criticized Mr. Romney for voting against President Trump in the impeachment trial. “The only thing I’ve seen him fight for are the establishment, wokeness, open borders, impeaching President Trump, and putting us even deeper into debt.”

Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) answers questions in his office in Washington, on Sept. 13, 2023. Win McNamee/Getty Images

At the Utah GOP convention that took place on Saturday, delegates gathered to select a candidate for the primary ballot in June. Five candidates vied for the spot, with Mr. Staggs eventually coming out as the winner.

“Trent Staggs is the UT GOP’s Endorsed Convention Nominee for the U.S. Senate! Congratulations Trent!” the official account of the Utah GOP said in an X post.

At the GOP primary scheduled for June 25, Mr. Staggs will face off against other top Republicans for the U.S. Senate seat, including former Utah House Speaker Brad Wilson and Rep. John Curtis (R-Utah).

Mr. Curtis and Mr. Wilson have gathered signatures and are qualified for the primary race. Mr. Wilson is a known supporter of President Trump.

Backing Mr. Staggs

In addition to President Trump, Mr. Staggs was also endorsed by other conservatives, including Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, and Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.).

“We were the first organization in line to support Trent Staggs for Utah Senate. He is not just a fighter, he’s the only sane conservative willing to represent Republicans and not bend to the will of D.C. lobbyists and Democrats,” Charlie Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, said in an April 27 X post.

Mr. Staggs highlighted Utah’s GOP convention system in an X post, which he said was “unique” and promotes “grassroots.”

“Here in Utah, delegates from each neighborhood are tasked with studying, learning, and vetting candidates. They take their job seriously. It’s not about money. It’s about ideas. They see through dark money pacs and find truth,” he wrote.

“It’s this process that makes it possible for a local mayor like myself to have a chance against far wealthier and far more well-known candidates. In a country where in elections, money means everything, Utah has a system that promotes grassroots.”

In his campaign, Mr. Staggs promised to push for reforming the taxation system.

Back in 1913 when the Federal Income tax was created, “it exempted what would now be the first $91,000 of income and capped out at a top marginal rate of 7 percent for what would be incomes greater than $15 million today,” according to his campaign website.

However, at present, not only is the income taxed by the government, but also property, investments, and inheritance passed on to children.

“The federal government has grown so much that it now requires more than 25 percent of the average American’s income. We have lost sight of the freedoms our founders envisioned. The tax levels that led to the revolution were a fraction of what we are now paying,” it says.

“Your labor is your property. As a mayor, I’ve fought to lower every tax and fee I can get my hands on—and I'll do the same as your Senator.”

He also promised to be the “woke’s worst enemy,” calling it a “false religion” that should have nothing to do with the American government. Mr. Staggs also backs strong immigration rules.

The GOP mayor vowed to fight for “Utah’s energy independence every day,” noting that if the federal government were to “get out of the way,” the United States wouldn’t have to import oil from the Middle East.

“No American anywhere should accept the crippling of domestic energy that we’ve seen since 2021—certainly not in the name of hysterical environmentalism.”