Mike Lee (American politician)

Mike Lee (American politician) is an American attorney and politician serving as the senior United States Senator from Utah since 2011. A member of the Republican Party, he is a prominent constitutional originalist and a leading figure in the conservative movement. Lee first gained election by defeating incumbent Bob Bennett at the 2010 Utah Republican primary and has since been a vocal advocate for limited government, states' rights, and a strict interpretation of the United States Constitution.

Early life and education

Michael Shumway Lee was born in Mesa, Arizona, to Janet (née Griffin) and Rex E. Lee, who later served as the Solicitor General of the United States under President Ronald Reagan. He spent much of his youth in McLean, Virginia, while his father led Brigham Young University's J. Reuben Clark Law School. Lee graduated from Timpanogos High School in Orem, Utah, before attending Brigham Young University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science. He subsequently received his Juris Doctor from the J. Reuben Clark Law School, serving as a notes editor for the BYU Law Review.

Legal and early political career

After law school, Lee clerked for Judge Dee Benson of the United States District Court for the District of Utah and later for Judge Samuel Alito, then on the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. When Alito was appointed to the Supreme Court of the United States, Lee followed him to Washington, D.C., as a clerk. He then worked as an attorney with the law firm Sidley Austin, focusing on appellate and Supreme Court litigation. Lee served as an assistant United States Attorney in Salt Lake City and was general counsel to Jon Huntsman Jr. during his tenure as Governor of Utah.

U.S. Senate career

Lee launched a primary challenge against three-term incumbent Senator Bob Bennett in 2010, capitalizing on support from the Tea Party movement and winning the nomination at the Utah Republican Party state convention. He defeated Democrat Sam Granato in the general election. In the Senate, Lee has served on the Senate Judiciary Committee, the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, and the Joint Economic Committee. He played a key role in the Federal Reserve Transparency Act and was a principal architect of the First Step Act. Lee was a prominent supporter of President Donald Trump's judicial appointments, including Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett. He objected to the certification of the 2020 presidential election results from Arizona and Pennsylvania following the January 6 United States Capitol attack.

Political positions

Lee is a staunch constitutional originalist, often citing the writings of the Founding Fathers. He advocates for a reduction in federal spending and has proposed reforms to the budget process. Lee opposes expansive federal regulatory power, challenging agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency and the Federal Communications Commission. He is a proponent of school choice policies and has criticized the Common Core State Standards Initiative. On foreign policy, Lee is considered a leading voice for a more restrained approach, questioning prolonged military engagements and certain provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act. He has a consistent anti-abortion voting record and has supported efforts to defund Planned Parenthood.

Personal life

Lee married Sharon Burr in 1993 in the Salt Lake Temple; they have three children and reside in Alpine, Utah. He is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and has served in various local church positions. In 2018, Lee joined the United States Army Reserve as a judge advocate and holds the rank of major. He is the author of several books, including The Freedom Agenda and Our Lost Declaration. His brother, Thomas R. Lee, serves as a justice on the Utah Supreme Court.

Category:1971 births Category:Living people Category:United States Senators from Utah Category:American Mormons