Bennett gets third primary opponent

Attorney Mike Lee (R) is set to enter the GOP fray against Sen. Robert Bennett (R-Utah), with an announcement set for Tuesday.

Lee is seen as a potentially strong candidate against the incumbent, especially after state Attorney General Mark Shurtleff and businessman Fred Lampropoulos passed on the race.

Lee brings an interesting profile to the race, as the son of Rex Lee, who was solicitor general under President Ronald Reagan and president of Brigham Young University. The younger Lee was general counsel to former Gov. Jon Huntsman (R) and has also served as an assistant U.S. attorney.

Already running on the GOP side are former congressional candidate Tim Bridgewater and activist Cherilyn Eagar. The candidates will take part in a multi-ballot nominating process where a candidate can win the nomination with 60 percent of the vote. If nobody achieves such a proportion, the top two will go to a primary.

The Salt Lake Tribune reports Lee will be endorsed by former Gov. Norm Bangerter and former Rep. Jim Hansen