Utah County businessman Case Lawrence announced he is beginning an exploratory committee to consider running for Utah’s 3rd Congressional District.

Lawrence is the founder and former CEO of CircusTrix, now called SkyZone, a company that operates trampoline parks, and is an adjunct professor in entrepreneurship at Brigham Young University.

“The current challenges facing our Nation are so dire that I can no longer stand on the sidelines,” Lawrence said in a press release on Friday. “Utah’s 3rd District is among the most educated and entrepreneurial in our nation–and deserves a conservative leader who knows how to get things done in the real world. My priorities will be to protect and empower the American family, the American middle class, and American entrepreneurs.”

Jeff Rust, a partner in Truss, and Jayson Edwards, the founder of the restaurant J-Dawgs, are chairing the exploratory committee.

U.S. Rep. John Curtis currently represents Utah’s 3rd Congressional District but has been said to be considering a run for U.S. Senate now that Mitt Romney is retiring.

In the press release, Rust noted Curtis’ interest in the Senate, saying, “If John Curtis runs for the U.S. Senate, Utah’s 3rd District needs a conservative leader representing us. Case is that man.”

Utah state Sen. Mike Kennedy also is considering a run for the same congressional seat, announcing the formation of an exploratory committee on Dec. 15.

According to the Federal Election Commission, an exploratory committee is not a declaration of candidacy. Instead, it allows a potential candidate to test the feasibility of a campaign.

According to the Deseret News, other Republicans considering running for the congressional seat are former Utah state Rep. Chris Herrod, current State Auditor John Dougall and Roosevelt Mayor Rod Bird Jr., who is currently bidding for Romney’s Senate seat.

Herrod has been a consistent contender in the 3rd Congressional District. He was a GOP primary contender for the seat during the 2017 special election as well as the 2018 and 2022 midterms, falling short to Curtis each time.

Summit County Democrat Glenn Wright, who ran against Curtis in 2022, announced Dec. 15 that he will be running for the seat again in 2024.

In Utah, the filing period to declare candidacy is from Jan. 2-8, according to vote.utah.gov.

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