Campaign between Tim Bridgewater and Mike Lee heats up

MURRAY — The back-and-forth between the GOP candidates for the U.S. Senate got heated Tuesday.

Both Tim Bridgewater and Mike Lee stopped just short of outright attacking each other during an hourlong forum held at the Intermountain Medical Center. The forum was intended to help hospital staff learn more about the candidates competing in the June 22 primary.

The friction apparently was sparked by a new television ad from Lee that states Bridgewater "made money from earmarks and the Obama stimulus bill, even worked to send our tax dollars overseas."

Bridgewater, a business consultant and venture capitalist, said at the forum it was a "complete falsehood" to say he personally profited from stimulus or earmarked funds and called the accusations "the sign of a desperate campaign." He also made a point of saying President Barack Obama is a constitutional lawyer but did not spell out that Lee is, too.

Lee, who earlier in the forum had questioned whether the federal government should be funding private enterprise, did not respond directly to Bridgewater's statements.

But during his answer to a question about restoring civility to politics, Lee said "any time things get nasty in any discussion," it's because the focus has shifted from issues to personalities.

A media information packet from the Lee campaign about the new TV ad said Bridgewater is a consultant to Raser Technologies, a Utah energy company that received stimulus and earmarked funds, and was involved in a grant to Indonesia Power.

Bridgewater's campaign released a letter from the Provo-based company late Tuesday saying Bridgewater "has not worked on any of our projects that have led to stimulus funding or earmarks. Furthermore, he has not profited from any such funding as it relates to our company."

Lee's campaign manager, Jonathan Reid, defended the campaign's new television commercial that began airing Monday.

"It highlights the contrast between the two candidates," he said. Reid said the Lee campaign's polling "shows we have a slight margin at the moment, and we're pressing forward. We're happy where we're at."

Tuesday, the Lee campaign announced an endorsement from Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, and the Tea Party Express, a group that has supported anti-incumbent efforts around the country, including Nevada tea party activist Sharron Angle, who recently won that state's GOP Senate primary and will face Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., in November.