Tuesday was a good day for Utah Republican congressional hopeful Mia Love, when the Democratic congressman she was looking to unseat announced that he would not seek re-election. But Love said the announcement by Rep. Jim Matheson did not make any difference.
“It doesn’t change anything actually,” Love told The Daily Caller in a phone interview. “Our focus was always to try to get our message out.”
“We’re going to have to work very hard to get every single vote,” she said.
Love said her campaign was never about whom she was running against.
“I’ve always looked at this as, you know, not running against Matheson,” she said.
“I was interested in running for the people of the Fourth District.”
The district, like the state, leans heavily Republican — Matheson is the only Democrat in Utah’s congressional delegation. Asked if she was worried that other Republicans might get into the race now that it was an open seat, Love said, “I certainly hope not.”
“I think that Utahns are pretty united here,” she said.
Love wished her former opponent well.
“Congressman Matheson has served as our state with dignity, and I sincerely wish the best for him and his family,” she said.