Photo: getty
She's Mormon.
By Samantha Maffucci — Written on Oct 08, 2018
With Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation this past weekend, we’ve all been curious about the senators who voted to push this through. And while it’s obvious that all of the conservative-leaning Republicans voted yes (with the exception of Lisa Murkowski), Senator Mike Lee is an anomaly, especially since he’s a libertarian-leaning Republican.
Since 2011, he has served as a junior U.S. Senator from the state of Utah, but before this, he was a clerk for the U.S. District Court for the District of Utah, a lawyer in a private practice firm, and the Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Utah.
And though he’s made a career in politics and law, what do we know about his personal life? Who is Mike Lee’s wife and how does she deal with his involvement in the Senate? Here are 7 things to know about Sharon Lee.
1. She’s from Utah.
Just like her husband, she grew up in Provo, Utah.
2. They met in high school.
The couple met when they were still teenagers, young and in love, and he was a few years older than her. They both worked on the student newspaper, with him as the opinion editor and her as the assistant editor. Apparently, she’d sometimes sneak in more “liberal” viewpoints to make sure he was paying attention.
3. They married in 1993.
They eventually married in 1993 while still in college. They are parents to three children: John and James, who are twins, and Eliza Rose.
4. They attended the same college.
Both went to Brigham Young University, where Lee’s father became the first dean and president. The couple wed while still in college, and Sharon graduated in 1994 with a degree, while Mike was student body president.
5. Her brother passed away in 2017.
Sharon’s brother, Bryan Burr, died in a freak accident after being “struck by an air drop of straw mulch onto a southern Utah wildfire burn scar restoration and reseeding area.” He was working with a Mountain West Helicopter crew at the time, spotting dropping spots, and died from blunt force trauma from the debris.
6. They are Mormons.
It should be obvious, since both attended BYU. Sharon’s husband was raised Mormon, though we aren’t sure if Sharon was also raised as one or later converted.
7. She likes to debate him.
Though the couple has gone on record saying that they don’t disagree on politics, they do debate when it comes to their children, especially. According to Sharon, “We have robust conversations.”
Samantha Maffucci is an associate editor for YourTango who focuses on writing trending news and entertainment pieces. In her free time, you can find her obsessing about cats, wine, and all things Vanderpump Rules.