J. Bracken Lee - Conservative and Anti-income Tax

Conservative and Anti-income Tax

Lee was fiscally conservative and a deep opponent of the income tax. With hefty cuts in spending, he was able to run surpluses in all of his administrations. As governor, he trimmed both spending and bureaucracy by cutting the number of departments and commissioners. He particularly angered the teachers' union for his cuts in higher education. In addition to his fierce opposition to the income tax, he opposed foreign aid and the United Nations. He enjoyed political success despite the fact that he was not a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormons). Although he did not shy from criticism of the church, he was careful to maintain good diplomacy with its leadership.

For a time Lee became involved in ultra-right-wing groups who advocated the formation of a "conservative" third party because of the increasing liberalism of both the Democratic and Republican parties.

Lee lost his first political campaign for mayor of Price in 1931. He returned in 1935 to win by just two votes, enjoying reelection another 5 times there. He lost two runs for governor in the 1940s before a successful bid in the fall of 1948. In 1956, he lost the Republican primary, which caused him to run a strong but unsuccessful race as an independent. He ran unsuccessfully for the Senate in both 1958 and 1962, and again for governor in 1964, though he was defeated in the Republican state convention. Under the Utah political system at the time, if no candidate running for statewide office or House of Representatives gets 80% of the delegate votes at the convention, a primary is held between the top two candidates. Lee came in third at the convention which eliminated his candidacy.