Brad Wilson, the prominent Republican Utah House Speaker, has begun capitalizing on an early start in potential campaign efforts for the U.S. Senate seat presently occupied by GOP Sen. Mitt Romney.
In the past few months, Wilson has shown impressive fundraising prowess, bringing in over $2.2 million in total.
Establishing an exploratory committee in April to gauge the viability of his Senate bid, Wilson disclosed to Fox News Digital that he had personally contributed $1.2 million.
A successful drive yielded an additional $1,018,586 from various donors over the last quarter — a testament to his support base, as 94% of these donations originate from Utah.
With a significant war chest behind him, Wilson likely wait until fall to decide if he will officially enter the race for Romney’s seat.
In a statement to Fox News Digital, Wilson expressed his purpose for the exploratory committee, saying, “What we’ve heard over that period of time is what we thought we would hear.… We’ve heard that what Utahns are interested in [and] want is they want to have a strong, conservative leader and a fighter back in D.C. to represent Utah.”
According to Wilson, Utahns wish to see D.C. adopt more of their state’s principles. His committee’s successful efforts over the recent weeks affirm this, reflecting the positive reception his candidacy has received.
When asked about the significance of the fundraising achievements, Wilson underscored the contribution of his supporters, saying, “I think it’s a reflection of not just me, but to all those that have been supportive. We have broken records. We’ve raised over $1,000,000 of other people’s money from all across the state. And 94% of that money comes from within the state of Utah. I mean, it’s remarkable.”
Wilson, who has been a persistent advocate for Utahns’ quality of life, proudly touted his achievements in office.
“We’ve had the biggest tax cut in Utah history this year. We’ve cut Utahn’s taxes over $1,000,000,000 in the last five years, and we’ve made massive investments in outdoor recreation infrastructure, transportation infrastructure,” he said.
“Utah, in almost every metric, is the best managed state in the country, and what we keep hearing is that that’s what Utahns would like us to export to D.C. – those skills and that expertise,” Wilson continued.
While he did not directly compare his credentials to those of Romney, Wilson expressed confidence in his potential candidacy and its alignment with Utah’s values. Wilson and his team are “putting ourselves and my potential candidacy in a position to win.”
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The current senator, Mitt Romney, took the initial steps last month towards a possible re-election bid by filing FEC paperwork, though he has yet to officially declare his intentions.
Utah businessman and State Representative since 2011, Wilson has been actively reaching out to “individuals from every corner of the state,” commending the “exciting” grassroots support he has received.
As Wilson travels the state, he shared the concerns of the constituents: an overwhelming desire for less D.C. interference and worry over the inflation surge caused by what he believes to be D.C.’s “reckless spending.”
He confidently added, “They’re looking for leaders to help prevent those kinds of things from happening again.”
Wilson, who is an alumnus of Weber State University, is expected to announce his decision regarding the Senate race later this year, following the palpable momentum his exploratory committee has built.
If Wilson decides to run, he will join Trent Staggs, the Republican Mayor of Riverton known for his 2020 stand against mask mandates, in vying for Romney’s seat.
Regarding Romney’s leadership, Staggs shared with Fox News Digital, “Unfortunately, Mitt Romney has let personal beefs get in the way of good governance. From not standing with Mike Lee against raising the debt ceiling to voting for the $1.7 trillion omnibus, he has helped drive us deeper in debt.”
Romney, however, seems unperturbed about his chances of re-election, having won more than 62% of the vote against Democrat Jenny Wilson in 2018.
He shared his confidence, saying, “I’m convinced that if I run, I win. But that’s a decision I’ll make.”
It will be interesting to see if the good people of Utah really want Romney to carry on or move on.
