How conservatives beat back a Republican sell-off of public lands
Payne is a conservative Idaho outdoorsman who voted for President Donald Trump. Lee is a Republican senator from Utah. The group was organized by an acquaintance Payne made online, and the topic was home schooling.
But Payne saw an opportunity to directly challenge Lee on his proposal to sell up to 3.3 million acres of federal land in 11 Western states for the construction of affordable housing. He texted the senator that Washington was 'better than BlackRock,' the global investment firm. Lee's response — that he'd 'trust anyone owning that land more than the U.S. government' — floored Payne. Several days later, he posted a screenshot of the exchange on X.
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Left-leaning national group is targeting these Utah legislative districts for 2026 election
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