Many believed that former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney was a shoe-in to replace retiring Republican Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch in the upcoming mid-term elections. However, State Rep. Mike Kennedy of the 27th District challenged Romney at the Utah Republican Convention on April 22, winning more than 50% of the vote and forcing the former presidential candidate into a primary, Deseret News reports.
The Daily Wire spoke with candidate Kennedy about his campaign, running against Romney, his views on President Trump, and how he plans on reaching out to his prospective constituents.
Q: The GOP primary in Utah seemed like a sure thing for Mitt Romney. Knowing that, even though it now seems increasingly competitive, what made you decide to get into the senate race?
Kennedy: I started thinking about running for the seat last May. I had to think long and hard about it, especially since I love my day job as a family doctor and I feel very privileged to serve the people of Utah.
Likewise, it is a weighty task to serve in Washington, D.C., with its own set of problems. Someone needs to be serious to do the work that needs to be done there.
Now, I love the work I do in the state legislature, I’ve been doing it for six years, and I think the experience there will help me in the Senate. I believe the solutions to lot of our government’s problems start with the states.
As we started building this campaign, it felt like something I had to do. Before the legislative session in Utah was up, I started talking to the right people and I filed in March and it’s been a privilege. It’s been great to travel across the state and talking with the folks about the issues.
Senator Orrin Hatch retired and there was some debate on whether Mitt Romney would step in and he did, but it was incidental who I was running against in the primary. It didn’t really matter who my opponent was.
Q: What do you think is a key issue on the minds of voters in Utah? Is it economic, social issues, or something else?
Kennedy: As I travel throughout Utah, there is one key thing we all agree on and that is the deficit is out of control. The way Washington, D.C., is running things is like the kids running the kitchen and are eating ice cream sundaes for dinner every night.
I’ve said this before on the campaign trail, the deficit is our greatest national security threat. We have to get the spending under control. With this recent omnibus bill, people’s concerns have intensified.
The interesting thing is this is on the top of everyone’s mind in Utah and they are willing to give up that pet program they depend on as long as everything is looked at equally. That’s how the people are in Utah.
On that topic, we balance our budget here every year in Utah, allowing the state to grow. That’s not something every politician or state can say. That’s because the government here recognizes that to allow for growth, the government needs to stay out of its way.
Q: Utah is ranked as one of the most conservative states in the country. Why do you think conservatism has been so successful in the Beehive State?
Kennedy: There are probably many aspects to that, but I would say it’s the cultural part of the state. Now this isn’t true of everybody, but I would say that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, of which I’m a member, has something to do with that. Being pro-life is foundational in the faith. We believe in being respectful of all living creatures, but particularly to the unborn. We have a deep commitment to seeing justice for the children.
There’s also a deep-seated concern for our land. The federal government controls a large portion of our state. We respect the land, but there is a concern over how much the federal government has control over. That brings us together.
That is something unique about Utah. When we need something, we don’t turn to the federal government, we work together to help one another.
Q: Should you win the primary and eventually go on to win the Senate race, you will be working with the Trump administration. Are you a Trump supporter, Never Trumper, or are you somewhere in the middle?
Kennedy: I have been impressed with the president with what he’s done for the country and the state of Utah. I’ll be honest, I didn’t know what to expect when the country voted him into office, because he was such a multi-faceted character. However, the Trump tax cuts and the appointment of Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court are great conservative steps he’s taken.
And even coming here to Utah and giving a portion of the land back to the state, that is an amazing step, a historical step, and it made me think that this president has it right.
So I’ve been really impressed and I would love to support the president in his agenda.
I think invariably that there will be disagreements and I’m sure if that time comes I’ll do so respectfully, but if past performance indicates future performance, then I’m a fan of what he’s doing.
Q: What would you say sets you apart from Mitt Romney in this GOP Primary?
Kennedy: It’s an interesting question. There’s a lot of pieces to that. This is a legislative position we’re campaigning for, not an executive one. He’s run for president twice and has served as a governor, both executive positions, but I’ve worked with passing legislation and getting it passed for six years.
And Utah is a very conservative state. Massachusetts, not so much. I’m a believer in states rights and it’s great that we’ve both been state servants. I appreciate that I’ve served six years in the legislature and he’s served four as governor.
The reality is Massachusetts tends to be bigger government. It’s reflected in the creation of the prototype for Obamacare, which was Romneycare. Certainly, they have a right to do that in their home state, but in our state I fought against Obamacare and its implementation.
I don’t believe that we need to create more government programs to fix the problems in Utah. They need to be fixed at the local level not the federal level.
I’m pro-life, pro-gun, and a supporter of lower taxes. I’ve fought for lower taxes. As for Romney’s record as governor, I suspect there’s a big difference between his record and mine.
Q: Going into the primary and possibly into the mid-term election, what is your message to the people of Utah?
Kennedy: I love the people of Utah. I’ve lived here. I’ve raised my family here. I’ve built my small business here. I’m here for a specific reason. This is an outstanding state with even better people. If you’ve had a chance to visit, you would know that these people know how to get things done.
They don’t need a big brother federal government telling them what to do. We take care of our own and are the most charitable state in the union as far as private financial donations.
We are fiscally responsible. We are economically sound. I adhere to those principles and would bring them to Washington, D.C.
I’ll finish by saying that the Senate seat belongs to Utah and they need somebody who is going to represent them and I’m a firm believer in Utah.
I’ve been in the homes of my friends and neighbors here in Utah, not the backrooms of D.C. I don’t know or owe anyone in Washington, but I do know and love the people in Utah.
That’s my message, that I will serve them, and I think that’s part of why I won at the convention.
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For more information about Rep. Kennedy, you can visit his website.