Utah Senator John Curtis, a Republican and Latter-day Saint, said the GOP's poor midterm performance is "a wake-up call" and urged the party to return to its roots, according to ABC4 Utah. Curtis made the comments as Democrats won control of the House and flipped multiple Senate seats and governor's offices nationwide.

Curtis, who represents a heavily Republican state but has positioned himself as a moderate willing to work across the aisle, said the results show voters rejecting the party's current direction. He did not specify which aspects of Republican politics he believes need to change.

The senator won his own race comfortably in Utah's heavily Republican electorate. His statement places him among GOP voices calling for introspection after the party's midterm losses.