Mitt Romney’s Senate successor explains why he won’t be a ‘rubber stamp’ for Trump

Rep. John Curtis (R-Utah), who did not endorse Donald Trump in the Republican primaries, says he does not expect to always fall in line with the president-elect if he replaces retiring Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah). ) in the Senate next month.

“Look, I support President Trump as he deals with some of these really tough issues that we have: the economy and the conflicts abroad. But I do have my own opinions and I’m not a rubber stamp,” Curtis said in an interview with Jonathan Karl on ABC News’ “This Week.”

“My stamp is that of the state of Utah and I represent those people.”

Curtis was then chosen to replace Romney pulling away with a win in a crowded primary field in which he defeated Trent Staggs, a Trump-backed Republican candidate and mayor of Riverton, Utah.

He criticized Trump sometimes in Congress and has criticized the president-elect for encouraging an “act of domestic terrorism” in response to the deadly attack on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021. Yet he voted against both of Trump’s impeachments.

Before arriving in the Senate, he opposed Trump’s pick for attorney general, Matt Gaetz, before the former congressman ultimately withdrew his name amid backlash.

When Curtis was asked by Karl about Romney’s willingness to “stand up to the leadership of his own party,” he noted that it’s important that Trump is “tremendously successful,” but that doesn’t mean he always will agree with him.

“So the best description for me is – is normal,” Curtis said when asked about labels like ‘MAGA Republican,’ ‘Romney Republican’ and ‘McCain Republican.’

Curtis, who received more votes than Trump in Utah, said he cannot advise the president-elect on his Cabinet choices without speaking “thoroughly” to his nominees.

“And I think the better I do my job, the better president he will be,” he said.

Karl later shared a message to critics calling on him to “just fall in line” with Trump.

“Anyone who wants to give me heat for doing my job, bring it on. This is my job. It is my constitutional responsibility,” Curtis said.

“These same people are the same people who would have previously said, ‘You have to take power back from the executive branch. You have to do your job.’ I heard that from the exact same people, and that’s what I do.”

Watch the lawmaker’s interview with Karl in the clip below.