Rep. Trevor Lee, R-Layton, fell short in the delegate vote to Davis County Commissioner Bob Stevenson at Saturday’s Davis County GOP convention, but he cleared the threshold to make the June primary anyway.
Stevenson took 55% to Lee’s 45%. Because Lee didn’t collect signatures, he needed only 30% of the delegate vote to make the primary. Under Davis County GOP rules, a convention-only candidate who wins a majority of delegate votes can receive county party funding in the primary. In 2024, Lee topped 50%, and the party donated $10,000 to his primary against Daniela Harding. With 45% this year, he won’t get that support.
Lee, who is facing fraud allegations from two former employers, didn’t mention the allegations when he addressed delegates at Syracuse High School. Instead, Lee stuck to his culture-war greatest hits and shots at immigrants.
“I’ve made sure while I’ve been in office to push back against any of the woke garbage that is trying to infiltrate our state and change our families and our schools,” Lee said. “More importantly, I’m trying to prioritize you over those who are non-citizens. … It’s not fair when someone breaks the law and comes into our country and then we give them social safety nets and benefits. That is wrong.”
He also took a swipe at another frequent target: the media.
“I’ve always stood up regardless of the outrage from the media, who continue to slander me and tell me because I stand for you it is wrong,” Lee said.
One of Lee’s former employers has accused the lawmaker of a quid pro quo scheme in which Lee allegedly offered to use his position in the Legislature to help them secure a federal contract. Part of the proceeds from that contract would then be used to pay off a $93,000 debt Lee owes to the company. House Speaker Mike Schultz has asked the attorney general to conduct an independent investigation of those claims. Lee has denied wrongdoing.
Lee’s opponent in June’s GOP primary is Davis County Commissioner Bob Stevenson, who kept it generic when asked about the allegations.
“If I could talk in generalities about this, all of us have to be really, really careful when we’re in political office that we have our guard up all the time to make sure what we are doing is right,” Stevenson said.
Stevenson’s campaign filed a complaint with the county party earlier this week, accusing some party leaders of tilting the scales for Lee.
Here’s what allegedly happened: When Republicans held their March 17 caucus meetings to elect delegates, some members showed up in person while others submitted absentee ballots, which is explicitly allowed under Utah Republican Party rules.
Nearly a month later, some delegates got calls saying they were being replaced—no explanation, hearing or due process—according to the complaint. Stevenson’s team says it happened in at least seven precincts while campaigns were preparing for Saturday’s convention with no notice.
The complaint says that violates party bylaws, which require candidates to be notified within 24 hours when a delegate is replaced.
The complaint alleges that Lee filed challenges to the absentee ballots the day after caucus night and was allowed to review disputed ballots—access Stevenson wasn’t given.
Ultimately, only one delegate in House District 16 was replaced. Stevenson says that person didn’t even show up on Saturday.
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