Fred Lampropoulos, founder and CEO of Merit Medical, will get into the U.S. Senate race against three-term incumbent Sen. Bob Bennett.
Lampropoulos, who ran unsuccessfully for governor in 2004, intends to take advantage of the opportunity opened up when Attorney General Mark Shurtleff pulled out of the race earlier this month citing family health issues.
Lampropoulos, 60, confirmed Tuesday that he is in the race.
The South Jordan Republican has served as chief executive officer and president of Merit Medical Systems Inc. since he founded the medical device company in 1987. He has a personal fortune that could be used, under federal campaign finance laws, to finance his bid.
An official announcement from Lampropoulos is expected to come some time after Thanksgiving.
He will join a field of candidates who hope to give Bennett his return ticket home to Utah.
Constitutionalist James Williams was the first to file to challenge Bennett in January. Cherilyn Eagar, a Republican activist from Holladay, announced her candidacy in June, while Tim Bridgewater, a former Utah County Republican Party chairman, joined the race in October.
Shurtleff launched his senatorial campaign in May and was considered by many to be the frontrunner against Bennett, but then pulled out due to a daughter's health concerns.
Yet another Republican, attorney Mike Lee, is said to be seriously considering entering the race. Lee was the legal counsel to former Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr.
All of Bennett's GOP rivals are challenging him from the right, criticizing his support of the original government stimulus package, his work obtaining earmarks for Utah businesses and local government and his collaboration on a health-care reform bill that has yet to gain much congressional traction.
So far, Salt Lake City restaurateur Sam Granato is the only Democratto join the fray.
