Sen. Mike Lee famously opposed Donald Trump’s candidacy in 2016, joining a last-gasp attempt to keep him from winning the GOP presidential nomination at the Republican National Convention. Now, Lee says he intends to back Trump’s re-election bid in 2020.
In an interview with Politico, Lee explained his change of heart.
“Look, I had some concerns and I expressed those,” Lee said in an interview. “I’ve been pleased with the number of things he’s done, and he’s been very helpful to me on criminal justice reform. … I’ve talked to him a lot and talking to him helps me develop a relationship with him.”
“I quite like him,” Lee said, adding that he intends to endorse Trump’s presidential bid this time around.
Lee has enjoyed a lot of success during the Trump administration, most recently joining an effort to reform federal criminal justice regulations.
Lee has also cozied up to Trump recently. He was part of a working lunch at the White House as Republican lawmakers tried to avoid the current partial government shutdown.
Lee was also on President Trump’s shortlist for the Supreme Court as he considered a replacement for Justice Anthony Kennedy. That pick, however, went to Brett Kavanaugh.
Lee plans to continue working with the White House during the next Congress, most notably partnering with Ivanka Trump on a proposal to allow new parents to use their Social Security benefits to take parental leave from work after the birth of a child.
