Sen. Mitt Romney’s (R-UT) aides are “so annoyed” that Sen. Mike Lee’s (R-UT) comments exposed how Romney’s lack of endorsement for Lee will help Never Trumper Evan McMullin.
On Fox News, Lee urged Romney to back his reelection, noting that the rest of the Senate Republican Conference has endorsed his bid.
He said, “All 48 of my other Republican colleagues are on board with me … It’s not too late, Mitt.”
Romney and Lee reportedly spoke after the interview. However, Romney has refused to endorse Utah’s senior senator.
The move has appeared to incense Romney staffers.
Romney aides are “so annoyed that Mike Lee won’t leave it alone,” a person who regularly speaks with Romney’s office said.
Utah’s Evan McMullin speaks during an interview on July 23, 2022, in Provo, Utah. (Rick Bowmer/AP)
Breitbart News reported that Romney’s refusal to endorse Lee has infuriated Senate Republicans, as it is typically custom for colleagues of the same political party to endorse each other, especially when they hail from the same state.
Romney has claimed that he will not endorse Lee over independent and Never Trumper McMullin.
Pundits and pollsters have noted that Romney’s lack of endorsement has served as a “boon” for McMullin’s bid, whose support comes from Democrats, moderates, and moderate-leaning Republicans in Utah.
Kirk Jowers, a former legal adviser for Romney who is backing Lee, said McMullin “talks nonstop about Romney.”
“Which has put an 800-pound gorilla in the room that is frustrating to both the Lee and Romney camps,” Jowers remarked.
Utah Republican Party Chairman Carson Jorgensen said, “A Republican candidate should be supporting their Republican colleagues, and that’s all there is to it.”
Romney’s refusal to endorse Lee over McMullin continues to cause divisions in the Republican Party as McMullin will fundraise with Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT). McMullin has repeatedly claimed that if he were elected to the Senate he would remain independent.
On Sunday he claimed that he would not “caucus” with Republicans or Democrats.
Sean Moran is a congressional reporter for Breitbart News. Follow him on Twitter @SeanMoran3.
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