The race to replace retiring Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, is getting even more crowded as a sixth Republican candidate jumped into the race on Wednesday.
Carolyn Phippen, a former staffer for Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, officially launched her campaign in Draper, Utah, vowing to be the “strong conservative woman” she said the state needed to uphold its values and the leadership to bring Washington, D.C. back from “the brink of disaster.”
“Our economy is spiraling, the national debt is out of control, and the crisis at our border continues to grow. I’ve fought on the front lines of the conservative movement while raising a family. Now is the time to stand up for the principles that made our country great,” Phippen said in a statement.
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“I’m not a career politician. I’m a mom who knows what it takes to raise a family in Utah. For too long, D.C. politicians have prioritized their own interests while their reckless spending has sent our economy spiraling. I’ll fight to end the inflation crisis and work tirelessly to shrink our national debt,” she said.
Phippen added that she would prioritize securing the border and ensuring the military has the tools it needed to do its job.
“I believe that our nation’s best days lie ahead but we must elect leaders who not only understand the real challenges we face, but who will do the hard work to restore the principles that have made this nation prosper,” she said.
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Phippen also serves as the executive director of Freedom Front of Utah, an organization that advocates for the defense of individual liberties and free market principles.
She joins five other Republicans in the race, including Utah House Speaker Brad Wilson, Riverton Mayor Trent Staggs, Roosevelt Mayor Rod Bird Jr., Ty Jensen and Josh Randall. So far, five Democrats are also running.
Romney announced in September that he would not run for re-election, leaving a wide open race for Republicans to try and hold the seat in 2024.
The state is widely considered to be a safe Republican seat.
