Over a month after Utah Republicans chose two grassroots primary candidates to run for senate over incumbent senator Bob Bennett, a political soap opera uncharacteristic of the Beehive State continues. The two Republicans face off next Tuesday in a primary.
One of those candidates, lawyer Mike Lee, fell from certain grace two days before the May 8 convention when delegates received an offensive mailer touting Lee’s Mormon values in opposition to Bennett’s Washington insider status—the sort of mix of religion and politics that is taboo in Utah. Lee had been ahead of businessman Tim Bridgewater going into the convention (Bennett by far had the least support among the three), but the so-called “temple mailer” lost Lee the support of many delegates and gave Bridgewater a majority on the third ballot.
