Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) on Friday endorsed former President Donald Trump for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, saying that the choice between the former president and the incumbent is like between “order” and “chaos.”
Mr. Lee said in a Friday night appearance on Laura Ingraham’s show on Fox News that he’s “wholeheartedly” endorsing President Trump and that conservatives should back the former president even if there’s some daylight between their views and his.
“Look, whether you like Donald Trump or not, whether you agree with everything he says or not, he is our one opportunity to choose order over chaos and putting America first over America last,” Mr. Lee said.
‘It’s Time’
The Utah Republican went on to say that President Trump is a known quantity in the Republican field—and that voters can count on him to keep his campaign promises.“And so, whether you agree with him on every point or not, if you are not content with the status quo—the status quo of lawlessness, of putting America last—it’s time to get behind Donald Trump, and I wholeheartedly endorse Donald J. Trump in his bid for the presidency in 2024,” Mr. Lee said.
The latest pledge of support from Mr. Lee gives President Trump 21 endorsements from Republicans in the Senate.
Notably, the former president has secured the endorsements of all senior members of House Republican leadership: House GOP Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.), and GOP Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.).
Iowa In Focus
A Midwestern state of around 3 million people, Iowa becomes the center of the political universe every four years because of its unique position as the first state to vote on presidential hopefuls.As the countdown continues to the first-in-the-nation caucus, attention is focused on a new Iowa poll set to be released at 8 p.m. EST on Jan. 13.
The former president faces numerous court battles, including dozens of criminal indictments, all of which he’s described as efforts inspired by his political rivals to derail his White House bid.
President Trump’s key rivals have spent a significant amount of time campaigning in Iowa, traveling widely to make their case before voters. The former president has traveled to Iowa 14 times since March 2023, oftentimes for his signature rally-style events.
A poor showing in Iowa for President Trump could invigorate his opponents on both sides of the aisle and call into question the likelihood of a second Trump term.