Mike Lee won’t follow in Cruz’s footsteps with an endorsement of Trump, even though Trump named him as a potential SCOTUS pick earlier today.
Nope, Lee sticks to his principles:
WASHINGTON EXAMINER – Texas Sen. Ted Cruz is ready to vote for Donald Trump, but his “best friend” Utah Sen. Mike Lee is not.
After Lee’s name was floated on Friday as a potential Supreme Court nominee to fill Justice Antonin Scalia’s vacancy, Cruz announced his decision to vote for Trump and encouraged others to do the same. Cruz cited an “explicit commitment” that Trump would adhere to a new list of potential Supreme Court picks that included Lee, who Cruz said “would make an extraordinary justice.”
While Lee’s inclusion played a leading role in Cruz’s decision, the list will make no difference for Lee. In a statement to the Washington Examiner on Cruz’s decision to vote for Trump, Lee indicated that the new list from Trump and pledge of support from Cruz would not make Lee change his mind.
“I consistently follow certain criteria when deciding whether to endorse any candidate pursuing a federal office. Those criteria focus on each candidate’s grasp of — and willingness to work tirelessly to restore — federalism and separation of powers,” Lee said in a statement. “I am always eager to support any candidate willing to make those structural constitutional protections a priority. In this race and in every other, I will continue to use the same criteria.”
Lee’s statement provides no suggestion that Lee would consider backing down from his opposition to Trump. The Utah senator did express appreciation for Trump’s consideration of him for the nation’s highest court on Friday.
“The Supreme Court is very important and I appreciate being considered,” Lee said in a statement. “Right now I’m focused on my job in the Senate, where I’m in a good position to defend the Constitution by fighting against government overreach. Both lists that I’ve seen from the Trump campaign are fantastic. While my brother and I might disagree as to which list is better, they’re both great.”
No big surprise here. I don’t think anyone expected that Lee would endorse Trump. He’s always been crystal clear about that, as you likely remember: