Estimated read time: 7-8 minutes
SALT LAKE CITY — A mostly civil debate between the four Republican U.S. Senate candidates from Utah turned rancorous in the waning moments, as Trent Staggs used his closing statement to appear to accuse Rep. John Curtis of wrongdoing related to stock trading in 2020.
Candidates were each given 60 seconds to issue a closing statement at the end of the televised debate, with Staggs speaking last, per the results of a random drawing.
"You know, on March 4, 2020, Abbot Laboratories was awarded a federal grant. On that same day, John Curtis purchased stock in that company," Staggs began. "This is the problem in Congress. At a time when somebody should be looking out for their constituents, they end up looking out for their own profit."
"You have to let me respond to that," Curtis said, as moderator Glen Mills began to wrap up the telecast. "Trent, that is such a low shot. You wait until I have no response, you throw something out I can't respond to. You accused me of a felony here tonight — you better have very good evidence. And I'd like to challenge you to produce that evidence that somehow I've committed a felony. If that's how you're going to work in the Senate, the people of Utah are going to be very disappointed."
The pair of candidates did not shake hands after the debate concluded, though Curtis could be heard saying "cheap shot" as he passed Staggs' podium.
After the debate, Staggs told reporters he made a "factual statement" about Curtis and was not accusing the congressman of a felony; when asked by KSL.com if he was accusing the congressman of insider trading, Staggs said: "Look, what I've said is, on the same day the company was given a grant, he traded stock."
Curtis didn't dispute the stock purchase — he disclosed purchasing between $1,001 and $15,000 of Abbot stock to the House clerk in 2020 — but said he's since divested of such investments, after trying several things to "isolate myself from criticism" about trading stocks as a member of Congress. KSL.com reported last year the congressman sold up to $15,000 of First Republic Bank stock as the bank was on the verge of collapse, though a spokesman said the sale was made by a broker without input from Curtis.
"That was a cheap shot," Curtis said of Staggs' comments following the debate. "I think the thing that's unfortunate about it is, Mr. Staggs, his whole campaign is about the dirtiness of Washington and how he's going to go fix that. And I think he really showed his hand. ... Let's be straight up. If you feel that way let's say it, but don't do what you did."
It wasn't the only attack Curtis, the perceived frontrunner, took from his opponents. Former Utah House Speaker Brad Wilson told reporters the Senate race appears to be "for sale," criticizing millions of dollars that have been spent in favor of Curtis.
"To be honest, the thing that's been absent from all the reporting on this race, that's been absent from all the discussion about this race, is the amount of special interest money that's been spent on John Curtis' campaign," he said. "You've got close to $7 million of East Coast special interest money, and it looks to me like there's this banner kind of waving over the state of Utah that says: 'U.S. Senate seats for sale.' And I don't think that's right."
Although Wilson himself loaned his campaign at least $2 million, he said "there's a big difference" between that and the money spent on Curtis through super PACs.
"I'm not going to be apologetic for the record amount of money that I raised in the first six months of my campaign from Utahns," he said of his own fundraising. "Those are people that know me, wanted me to be back in Washington and I think still do."
Curtis himself said at least two-thirds of his own campaign donations have come from Utahns, and said he can't control super PAC spending or coordinate with those groups.
"Let's admit it," he said, "there's some jealousy in some of those comments. Who wouldn't want that type of money coming to support them? Let's also be very clear. People know what they're going to get with John Curtis more than any other candidate up here."
Party loyalty
Prior to the fireworks at the end of the night, the four candidates largely tried to differentiate from one another ideologically and in terms of support for former President Donald Trump. Jason Walton, the CEO of Moxie Pest Control, opened by accusing President Joe Biden of trying to "weaponize the Justice Department against our Republican nominee."
"America is at a tipping point," he said. "I think we all feel it, and electing another career politician isn't the answer to the problem."
When asked about Trump's promise to seek revenge if reelected, Walton called the former president the "most attacked, maligned, persecuted president" in the history of the country.
"They're literally tying him up in court so he can't campaign," he said.
Staggs — who was endorsed by Trump ahead of the GOP convention — said the prosecution and conviction of Trump is "the greatest example of election interference," and again attacked Curtis for there being "some ambiguity" as to whether he supports the former president.
Although he said there's a "degree of difficulty" in working with Trump due to his at times erratic and spontaneous nature, Curtis pointed to his track record of collaboration with the Trump White House and said he was "wind at his back" on key issues such as tax cuts.
He said he has always promised to support the eventual Republican nominee for president, and would support Trump.
Lightning round
With time running short, Mills asked each candidate to respond briefly to a couple of questions: How long would you serve? And would you vote to certify the results of the 2024 election?
Staggs, Wilson and Walton all pledged to served only two terms, or 12 years, if elected to the Senate. Curtis said the field is "littered with the bodies" of those who signed term-limit pledges — Utah Sen. Mike Lee is currently serving a third term after promising to bow out after two — but said "people don't have to worry about me staying too long."
Curtis has served for seven years in the House and was Provo mayor for eight years before that, he said, suggesting he wouldn't linger.
When it comes to certifying the election, Walton said "of course" and Curtis said Congress has the responsibility to accept the results submitted by each state, rather than question their validity. Wilson said he wouldn't certify in the event of "proven fraud."
Staggs said, "It really is something we have to take a look at," before claiming there were many instances of fraud in the 2020 election. There is no evidence of widespread voter fraud that would have altered the final result.
Recent polling shows Curtis with a plurality of support, trailed by Staggs, the mayor of Riverton, Wilson and Walton, but at least a third of voters are still undecided.
The debate, hosted by the nonpartisan Utah Debate Commission, was one of the last chances for each candidate to stand out, as primary ballots have already been mailed to registered voters.
The contest caps off a full day of debates, after candidates vying for the Republican nominations for Congressional Districts 1 and 2 squared off earlier in the day at PBS Utah, in the Eccles Broadcast Center on the University of Utah campus.
Statewide candidates for attorney general and governor will debate Tuesday, and five Republican candidates for the 3rd Congressional District will go head-to-head Wednesday evening.
