Utahn House Speaker Brad Wilson officially joins senate race 

Reading Time: 3 minutes In an event hosted in Draper, Utah House Speaker Brad Wilson officially announced his candidacy for the United States Senate.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Brad Wilson, Speaker of the Utahn House of Representatives, has officially entered the race to become Utah’s next U.S. Senator at an event hosted in Draper. 

During a special announcement on Sep. 27, Wilson spoke to a crowd of supporters about his record and what he could bring to the Senate as Utah’s next Senator. Quoting Ronald Reagan, Wilson expressed the importance of American values in the campaign. 

Photo by Matthew Drachman

“I cannot stand by and watch while our freedoms are lost, and these values are ignored,” Wilson stated. “If left unchecked, it’s going to lead to the decline and decay of this nation.” 

Wilson spoke about his roots in Utah and his experience as a business owner. “I was born here, and I was raised here. I grew up in a house of 10 kids.” 

A common theme of the evening was the need for conservative leadership in Washington D.C.. Wilson made a point to show that he was the candidate to deliver on issues like taxes, inflation, energy production, the Second Amendment, immigration and many other issues. 

Photo by Matthew Drachman

“We have an opportunity to send a conservative fighter to the U.S. Senate, armed with Utah’s conservative values,” Wilson asserted. “A fight for change is desperately needed, and this change is long overdue.” 

With the recent announcement by Senator Romney that he would not seek re-election, the Senate race in Utah has become more open to opportunity for Republicans to seek the office. Counting Wilson, four other Republicans are seeking the nomination. This includes Riverton City Mayor Trent Staggs, and Roosevelt City Mayor Rod Bird

“Some of my opponents in this race offer colorful rhetoric,” Wilson said in his announcement. “But in fact, I get, and do get, real results.” 

Photo by Matthew Drachman

As of writing this piece, Wilson leads all Republican challengers in fundraising. Currently, Wilson has a war chest of nearly $2.1 million dollars, nearly 10 times that of the closest challenger, Trent Staggs. 

“I don’t see a scenario where he loses,” Tyler Cooper, a supporter and former intern of Wilson, told The Review. “I think [he] is what we need.” 

Concluding his speech, Wilson said that each generation has a rendezvous with destiny, he related this to the American dream and keeping it alive. He called his campaign spirted and told the crowd that he intends to be Utah’s next U.S. Senator. 

The Republican Primary in Utah is scheduled to take place Mar. 5, 2024. To find more information on how to vote, visit the Lt. Governors website. For more information on Wilson, visit his campaign website. To find out more information on the candidates, visit Ballotpedia for a complete list of candidates.