Mike Lee is scheduled to campaign with Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio, declining to choose sides in the Republican presidential primary between his two closest allies in the Senate.
The Utah Republican, popular with the conservative grassroots, has worked with Cruz and Rubio on major legislation. In 2013, Lee and Texas’ Cruz collaborated on an attempt to leverage a government shutdown to for President Obama to to defund the Affordable Care Act. Recently, Lee and Rubio worked together to craft a tax reform proposal that has served as the basis of the plan the Florida senator is pitching in his bid for the White House.
Lee is scheduled to be in South Carolina on Thursday for the Conservative Review convention, and plans to appear with both candidates. In the morning, Lee will join Rubio at a campaign rally in Greenville; in the afternoon, the senator will join Cruz at a campaign rally in Easley. Lee’s Senate campaign released this statement from the senator regarding his South Carolina travel:
“Senators Rubio and Cruz both espouse the conservative principles and conservative policies I believe are necessary to get the country moving in the right direction,” he said. “I firmly believe that thecountry’s conservatives, led by a truly conservative president, offer our best hope of creating upward mobility for the poor, real opportunity for the middle class, and ending the unfair perks for the wealthy and well-connected.”
Lee’s public entrance into the 2016 contest comes as New York celebrity businessman Donald Trump appears poised to win South Carolina; the primary is set for Saturday. Trump has a recent history of supporting liberal policies and politicians. Republican insiders have wondered whether Lee might choose between Cruz and Rubio in the 2016 race.
Rubio has been endorsed by several of his fellow senators and members of the House. Cruz has received few congressional endorsements.
