SALT LAKE CITY — Eight Republicans have jumped into the U.S. Senate race so far — many of them saying they’re gunning for Mitt Romney.

Romney seems to be enjoying incumbent status even though the only elected office he has held is governor of Massachusetts. Utah State Auditor John Dougall, a Republican who flirted with a run himself, complained earlier that Romney's candidacy should drive a conversation, not a coronation.

But it has started a conversation — all about Romney.

To wit, from various GOP candidate announcements and websites:

• "Dr. Mike Kennedy, three-term member of the Utah State House of Representatives, from northern Utah County, filed to run for US Senate as a Republican against former Governor of Massachusetts Mitt Romney today."
• "Perhaps it's this 'rebellious' streak — re-emergent in alternating generations of his family tree — that compels Sam (Parker) to run against Mitt Romney for the US Senate."
• "St. George attorney and Utah Republican assembly leader Larry Meyers is taking on former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney for the Utah Republican Party nomination for the US Senate. Unlike Romney, Meyers is a longtime Utah resident and will be a strong voice supporting the conservative movement and limited, constitutional government."

Still, Romney, the 2012 GOP presidential nominee, is the clear favorite in the race.

"I don't know that the frontrunner status is ever anything other than an anchor for whoever takes that title," Romney said after filing his candidacy Thursday.

But to the other Republican candidates in the race, "Come on in. The water's fine," he said. "We'll enjoy the time together and we'll see them on the trail."

The deadline for declaring candidacy for federal, state and local elected offices is today at 5 p.m.

Democratic Salt Lake County Councilwoman Jenny Wilson has been campaigning for U.S. Senate since last summer and officially filed to run on Tuesday. She appears to have the inside track among the three Democrats seeking the party's nomination so far.

Like some Republicans, she said she too is concerned about a Romney coronation.

"He's been through a rigorous race before and he should not be given a free ride by anybody," Wilson said. "I'm ready to battle. I welcome it."

Dougall said he would have felt obliged to "answer the call" if it appeared the GOP would simply "rubber-stamp" Romney as the new senator.

"But we now have several good Republican candidates in the race for the nomination and I wish them all well," Dougall posted on Facebook. "I plan to join my fellow Republicans in examining very closely what each believes and plans to do as Utah's senator."

Other Republicans running for Senate are: Tim Jimenez, Stoney Fonua, Jeremy Friedbaum and Alicia Colvin. Other Democrats are: Mitchell Vice and Larry Livingston. Libertarian Craig R. Bowden, Constitution Party candidate Tim Aalders and Independent American Reed C. McCandless have also filed.

Related:

Candidates file for congressional, Utah legislative races

Federal and state candidates in Utah have until 5 p.m. Thursday to file for the November election.

Utah's four U.S. House members — Reps. Rob Bishop, Chris Stewart, John Curtis and Mia Love, all Republicans — have filed to run for re-election.

Five Democrats, including Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams, are vying for the chance to face Love in the 4th District. The others are Morgan Shepherd, Sheldon Kirkham, Tom Taylor and Darlene McDonald.

In the 1st District, Bishop's challengers are Republican Kevin Probasco, Democrats Lee Castillo and Kurt Weiland and United Utah candidate Eric Eliason.

In the 2nd District, Stewart faces Republican Mary Burkett and Ken Clark, Democrats Randy Hopkins and Shireen Ghorbani, Libertarian Jeffrey Whipple and United Utah candidate Jan Garbett.

In the 3rd District, Republicans Steven Stromness, Henry Rudolph Kneitz III and Michael David Leavitt, Democrats James Courage Singer and Kent Moon, Independent American Gregory C. Duerden and United Utah candidate Melanie McCoard are all running against Curtis.

The Utah Republican Party State Central Committee's recent bylaw change has caused lingering confusion among GOP candidates. Under the rule, Republicans candidates in the 1st and 2nd congressional districts — the ones held by Bishop and Stewart, respectively — who gather signatures to get on the primary election ballot would be kicked out of the party.

The state elections office said Thursday it is sticking by the state law that allows candidates to collect signatures or go through the caucus and convention system to secure a party's nomination.

A list of candidate filings can be found at elections.utah.gov.

More information will be posted throughout the day.

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