Race to replace Sen. Mitt Romney heats up as Republican Utah House speaker gets ready to enter

By MEAD GRUVER
Associated Press

Republican Utah House Speaker Brad Wilson is poised to formally announce that he’s running for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Mitt Romney. Wilson says he’ll make a “special announcement” at a Wednesday night event. Wilson is a supporter of former President Donald Trump and had already launched an exploratory committee before Romney’s recent announcement that he won’t seek a second term. Wilson would be the first major Republican candidate to enter what’s expected to be a crowded field. Wilson was first elected to Utah’s House in 2010 and says he’ll resign from the Legislature in November.