Sen. Mike Lee to endorse Ted Cruz at Florida event

By MATT CANHAM | The Salt Lake Tribune

First Published 3 hours ago Updated 3 hours ago


Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, confer before a Senate Judiciary hearing to examine the Administration's immigration enforcement policies, in Washington, Tuesday, July 21, 2015. (AP Photo/Molly Riley)


Sen. Mike Lee is staying neutral no more.

Utah's tea party firebrand is expected to endorse Sen. Ted Cruz for President later today during an event in Florida.


The move is a big blow to Sen. Marco Rubio, who is trailing in his home state to Donald Trump and who has seen his support tank in recent weeks.


Sources close to the senators have confirmed the endorsement with various news sources, according to Politico and NBC News. It comes just days before major primaries in Florida and Ohio.


Previously, Lee has said he'd support either Cruz or Rubio, but didn't want to pick between them.


Lee and Cruz were the architects of the strategy to combat Obamacare that led to the 2013 partial government shutdown. Lee is widely seen as Cruz's only friend in the Senate and he'll become the first colleague to endorse Cruz's campaign.

The rest of Utah's federal delegation has backed Rubio.

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