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Mayor Joins Race to Replace Chaffetz in Congress

After weeks of deliberation — and a bit of hesitation — Provo Mayor John Curtis decided to add his name Thursday to the mounting list of candidates dashing to fill Rep. Jason Chaffetz's soon-to-be-vacated congressional seat.

After weeks of deliberation — and a bit of hesitation — Provo Mayor John Curtis decided to add his name Thursday to the mounting list of candidates dashing to fill Rep. Jason Chaffetz's soon-to-be-vacated congressional seat.

 

"It was very important to me to know in my heart that this was the right thing to do," he explained.

 

Curtis, who's finishing his eighth year as mayor of the state's third largest city and will not seek re-election, is popular among Provo residents and an early favorite among Republicans. He submitted his paperwork on the next to last day for candidates to file in the special election.

 

"I didn't want to run to just run," Curtis said. "I wanted to run because I brought something."

 

An April survey from Y2 Analytics — which is now working for Curtis in the race — listed the mayor with a high favorability ranking (62 out of 100) by Republicans in the 3rd Congressional District, leading pollster Scott Riding to say the mayor would have "an edge among early contenders." David Magleby, a Brigham Young University political science professor, also said Curtis has more name recognition and is more "visible" than the several state lawmakers in the race.

 

Before his membership in the Elephant Club and his term as a Republican delegate, Curtis was for a short time registered as a Democrat when he ran and subsequently lost a bid against state GOP Sen. Curt Bramble in 2000.

 

Still, Curtis' anti-abortion, pro-gun rights platform was typically GOP with a nod to moderate politics.

Caroline Cournoyer is GOVERNING's senior web editor.
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