Last week, The Salt Lake Tribune featured an opinion piece by Jeff Parrott that criticized my boss, Congressman John Curtis, who will soon represent Utah in the Senate following the recent election results. I felt compelled to respond, as the piece overlooked crucial reasons behind our decision not to engage with The Tribune’s voter guide. It lacked the context necessary for an informed discussion, which is especially important as we transition into this new chapter in leadership.
First, the questions posed by The Salt Lake Tribune did not align with the concerns we’ve heard from Utahns over the past year. As chief of staff, I’ve had the privilege of traveling across the state with Congressman Curtis, engaging with thousands of residents. Consistently, we’ve encountered pressing issues like public lands, inflation, the economy, border security, tax policy, government spending and foreign adversaries. Unfortunately, none of these critical topics were included in The Tribune’s voter guide, which misses the mark on what truly matters to our constituents.
Second, I reached out to The Salt Lake Tribune to suggest revising their questions to better reflect the issues important to Utahns. Regrettably, they declined, stating that their questions were formulated by Tribune readers and Utah-based researchers, yet we received no further details when we requested more information. Our campaign has conducted extensive polling and research, and it’s clear that the issues highlighted by the Tribune do not resonate as priorities for the majority of Utah voters.
Lastly, having worked for John Curtis for more than 15 years, I can personally attest to his unwavering work ethic and deep understanding of Utahns. Our team is dedicated and deeply rooted in the community, which is why we’ve been recognized as the best congressional office for constituent accountability and accessibility. Our commitment has always been to represent every Utahn. To suggest that John and his team are not open to all questions is simply untrue. Throughout his tenure, we have traveled extensively, engaging with supporters and opponents alike to understand the issues that matter most.
What kind of senator can Utahns expect John Curtis to be? The answer lies in his impressive track record as a successful small business owner, an effective mayor and a dedicated congressman. Utahns can trust that John will bring the same integrity and commitment to the United States Senate that he has demonstrated throughout his career. His agenda will reflect the priorities of the people he serves, as he works tirelessly to foster unity and put Utah first, championing our values and protecting what makes our state unique.
I have had a front-row seat to how John operates on a daily basis, and I have no doubt that Utahns will be proud to have him as their senator.
(Corey Norman) Corey Norman is the chief of staff for Senator-elect John Curtis.
Corey Norman is the chief of staff for Senator-elect John Curtis.
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