John Curtis will replace Mitt Romney in the US Senate, AP calls

SALT LAKE CITY — Utah Rep. John Curtis will replace Sen. Mitt Romney in the U.S. Senate after defeating Democrat Caroline Gleich, according to the Associated Press, which called the race shortly after polls closed at 8 p.m.

Although polls have closed, Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson has advised county clerks not to release preliminary results until all those in line to vote have been able to cast a ballot, meaning the full results could be delayed by more than an hour.

“Thank you, Utah,” Curtis, a Republican, posted shorted after the race was called. “This journey has been about getting things done and ensuring that Utah values are represented in our nation’s capital. Your support shows we can address the major challenges ahead: managing public lands, holding China accountable, advancing our energy dominance, and always standing up for the principles that make Utah strong. Go, fight, win!”

Gleich, a professional ski mountaineer, conceded to Curtis shortly after the race was called, saying the campaign was “the most challenging thing I’ve ever done.”

“Congratulations, Rep. Curtis,” Gleich said. “Throughout the campaign, Rep. Curtis promised to take action on climate, and I look forward to working with him and other legislators on protecting our environment and supporting policies for our families, freedom and future.”

Sen. Steve Daines, the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, congratulated Curtis for his win and celebrated the congressman’s work in the House of Representatives over the past seven years.

“I know he will carry that same spirit with him to the Senate,” Daines said.

Curtis addressed the crowd gathered at a watch party at the Provo Rec Center Tuesday night, focused on governing once he is sworn into the Senate and reiterating the idea that public servants should serve “for a season.” The congressman told KSL.com in May that he was considering winding down his time in Washington before he was convinced to make a bid for the Senate.

“My commitment has been to represent every Utahn,” he said. “That is what I am committed to do. These are challenging times, and in challenging times, you don’t need a show horse or a show vote. In rural Utah, they like to say, in troubled times, the last thing you need is a cowboy that’s ‘all hat, no cattle.’ So, don’t look for me throwing gas on the social media fire or giving clickbait to the cable news, but rather, look for me riding my Ford up and down, back and forth across this state, doing the hard work of legislating and getting things done for Utah.”

“Unity is needed in our nation,” Curtis added. “You know that tonight, more than ever, and we should remember that oneness is not sameness, and compromise is not capitulation. I hope that you’ll see in my actions the dignity of working together and of unity.”

Other congressional races

Utah has five federal seats on the ballot Tuesday night: all four U.S. House districts and the Senate seat Curtis won.

Republicans are also expected to do well in the four races for the U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday night, given the strong partisan lean of each district. Utah’s 3rd Congressional District is the only open race of the four, with Republican state Sen. Mike Kennedy and Democrat Glenn Wright vying to replace Curtis.

Reps. Blake Moore, Celeste Maloy and Burgess Owens — all Republicans — are seeking to defend their seats against Democratic and third-party challengers.

Moore is running against Democrat Bill Campbell and Libertarian Daniel Cottam for the 1st Congressional District seat, while Maloy’s 2nd District race pits her against Nathaniel Woodward, a Democrat; Constitution Party candidate Cassie Easley; and Tyler Murset, who is unaffiliated. Democrat Katrina Fallick-Wang, United Utah Party candidate Vaughn Cook and independent Evan Bullard are aiming to unseat Owens in the 4th Congressional District.

Preliminary results will be updated below as they come in.

This story will be updated.