Sen. Mike Lee faces his first test of 2022 in Utah’s Republican primary on Tuesday, where he’s being challenged by two well-funded opponents in a race that should offer insight into whether loyalty to former President Donald Trump remains a litmus test for Republican voters.
Former state lawmaker Becky Edwards and businesswoman Ally Isom — neither of whom voted for Trump — have spent months on the campaign trail framing Lee as a divisive politician who cares less about governing than he does television appearances and his allegiance to Trump.
After the leak of post-election text messages Lee sent to then-White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, both challengers have argued he’s out-of-sync with political culture that residents here call “Utah way.”
The messages showed Lee discussing tactics to challenge the 2020 election result. The attorney-turned-senator first encouraged Trump advisers to embrace conspiracy theorist attorney Sidney Powell and later referenced his discussions with lawmakers in battleground states about appointing competing slates of electors to act contrary to the results.
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