Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
SALT LAKE CITY — State Sen. Mike Kennedy is officially running for Utah's 3rd Congressional District seat, weeks after announcing an exploratory committee to weigh a possible campaign.
Kennedy's announcement on Thursday comes just days after the seat's current occupant, Rep. John Curtis, R-Utah, filed to run for Sen. Mitt Romney's seat in the U.S. Senate. Kennedy previously ran against Romney in the GOP primary in 2018.
The Alpine Republican has spent more than a decade in the Utah Legislature, and represents a legislative district that overlaps with Curtis' congressional district.
Kennedy said the nation is "at a pivotal moment" and promised to focus on border security, fiscal stability and protecting freedoms.
"Now, I am ready to take this commitment to a Congress deeply in need of conservative problem solvers and responsible governance," he said.
"The challenges we face as a nation — from families struggling with the rising costs of inflation, our mounting national debt, and the need for strong border security — demand leaders who are ready to take on these issues and understand the importance of civil discourse and collaboration," he added. "In Congress, I will work to ensure that the voices and values of everyday Utahns are not drowned by the bickering of those seeking to divide our country."
Kennedy practices family medicine and has a law degree from Brigham Young University's J. Reuben Clark Law School. He graduated from Michigan State University's medical school.
Kennedy is one of several GOP candidates to announce campaigns for the open seat, along with Roosevelt Mayor Rod Bird Jr., former Utah GOP Chair Stewart Peay and entrepreneur Case Lawrence.
Democrat Glenn Wright, a Summit County councilman who challenged Curtis is 2022, is also running.
The filing deadline for the 2024 election is on Monday at 5 p.m.
