{mosads}Lee’s endorsement comes less than a week after he met with Romney, according to the Utah newspaper.

Lee’s endorsement might not seem a completely natural one given his strong opposition to the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) and the Obama administration’s healthcare reform law, both issues on which Romney has received criticism from his GOP opponents. Many conservatives have criticized Romney for supporting Washington’s assistance to troubled Wall Street institutions and claim that the healthcare reforms he instituted in Massachusetts provided the blueprint for Obama’s own signature domestic legislation.

Romney thanked Lee for his support and praised the senator’s opposition to the Obama healthcare law.

“Mike has been fighting on the frontlines to repeal ObamaCare and restore fiscal sanity in Washington,” Romney said in a statement to the Utah newspaper. “I will need the support and hard work of leaders like him if we are going to be successful in shrinking the federal government and restoring America’s promise of freedom and prosperity. I am honored to have Mike’s support and look forward to his advice in the coming months.”