Utah House Speaker Brad Wilson raised more than $1 million during the third fundraising quarter, showing signs of momentum less than a week after the Republican announced his campaign last week.
Wilson raised more than $1 million over the last three months, giving the GOP candidate nearly $3 million in cash on hand heading into the fourth quarter, his campaign announced on Monday. The haul comes after Wilson announced a record-breaking sum of $2.2 million last quarter, which is the most money raised by any GOP Senate candidates or likely candidates in their first three months.
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“The groundswell of support from every corner of Utah by donors, grassroots leaders, and business leaders is humbling and encouraging,” Wilson said in a statement. “We will continue to have the resources to lead and win this race regardless of who may run. The U.S. Senate needs not just more Republicans — but more conservative fighters.”
Wilson announced his campaign to replace retiring Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) on Wednesday, entering a crowded field of primary challengers vying for the seat in the Beehive State.
Rumors of Wilson’s expected Senate run first circulated earlier this year after the state Republican leader created an exploratory committee to raise money and gauge the interest of GOP voters in the state. However, Wilson quickly jumped into action shortly after Romney confirmed his retirement in mid-September, announcing he would step down as state speaker later this year.
More than 60 lawmakers in the Utah legislature endorsed Wilson to run for Romney’s seat, according to a memo first obtained by the Washington Examiner early last month. The list of endorsements includes a majority of Utah Republican legislators, comprising three-quarters of the state House and more than two-thirds of the Utah Senate.
Wilson’s announcement makes him the fifth candidate to enter the race. Other prominent Republicans have been rumored to be considering a campaign, including former Rep. Jason Chaffetz, who previously told the Washington Examiner in February that a Senate bid wasn’t something he was “actively pursuing” but that he was “keeping all my doors open.”
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However, Chaffetz has also hinted at running for other offices, such as governor, making his ambitions unclear. Two of Utah’s House members, Reps. Blake Moore (R-UT) and John Curtis (R-UT), have also attracted rumors about a Senate bid, with both hinting it may be something they would pursue.
The race for Utah’s Senate seat is not expected to be competitive because the state is reliably Republican and has not elected a Democratic senator since 1970. However, it remains unclear which GOP candidate has a shot of winning the primary, with recent polls showing more than half of Utah voters are undecided.