Former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy endorsed U.S. Senate candidate Trent Staggs on Wednesday.
Ramaswamy announced his support of the Riverton mayor through a social media post listing their shared anti-establishment beliefs.
“Shut down the Deep State. Replace civil service protections with term limits. No more politicians getting rich off their time in office. No more profiteering from endless wars. (Staggs) gets that public service should be about serving the *public,* not yourself,” Ramaswamy said.
Ramaswamy, a biotech entrepreneur who became a Fox News regular by decrying “woke capital,” ran for president as an anti-establishment businessman, with some referring to him as “Trump 2.0.”
He began endorsing candidates in February after dropping out of the GOP primary a month earlier. Ramaswamy’s endorsed candidates must sign his “American Truth Pledge” which reiterates the importance of having elected representatives, not bureaucrats, and making policy decisions that reflect their constituents’ views.
“(Staggs) signed my American Truth Pledge (and) I’m proud to endorse him for US Senate. End the permanent state,” Ramaswamy said.
Ramaswamy’s endorsement follows similar announcements from some of the national figures most associated with the MAGA brand. Staggs’s other endorsements include Florida Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz, Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., and Arizona Senate candidate Kari Lake.
Ramaswamy is being considered for a cabinet position in a potential second Trump administration, Bloomberg reported.
“I’m grateful to have the support of Vivek Ramaswamy,” Staggs told the Deseret News in a statement. “Vivek has been a leader in taking on the insiders in Washington.”
He continued: “Pay-to-play politicians have gotten rich while everyday Americans have struggled under the laws they’ve created. No more. When I’m in the senate, I will be a bold voice against the status quo. I look forward to standing against endless war, against limitless spending and against politicians lining their pockets on the backs of the American people.”
But despite Staggs’ efforts to carve out a lane as the most Trump-aligned candidate in the race, the former president is unlikely to put his thumb on the scale in Utah.
The reason is twofold, the Deseret News previously reported. For one, the state is not a swing state. And, with a crowded field before the Utah convention, Trump will likely not want to endorse a candidate who he isn’t confident will win.
Staggs faces several candidates who count on greater name recognition or financial resources, including 3rd District congressman John Curtis, former state House Speaker Brad Wilson and Moxie Pest Control CEO Jason Walton.
The Republican state convention will be held on April 27. Candidates who receive more than 40% of delegate votes, or who have gathered enough verified signatures, will appear on the primary ballot on June 25.
The GOP nominee who emerges from the primary will face off against the nominees from other registered political parties in the Nov. 5 general election.
Other Republican candidates, besides those already named, include conservative political adviser Carolyn Phippen, attorney Brent Hatch, certified public accountant Josh Randall, Bookroo founder Chandler Tanner, Abraham Lincoln impersonator Brian Jenkins and former piano tuner Jeremy Friedbaum.
The Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate in Utah include mountaineer Caroline Gleich, Archie Williams III and Laird Hamblin.