SALT LAKE CITY — Utah’s highly contentious and expensive Senate race has its winner. 

After arguably the most popular Utah race began counting votes, Sen. Mike Lee appeared to be in the lead. 

It wasn’t until numbers were just over an hour into being counted that Evan McMullin conceded the race last night.

Sen. Lee holds a 14-point lead, up by more than 100,000 votes as of Wednesday morning.

Sen. Lee thanked Utahns for choosing him last night. “The fact that you’ve given me the opportunity to represent you in the U.S. senate, thank you, this is both daunting and humbling,” said Lee. 

Lee is projected to return to Washington with some breathing room for his third term in the U.S. Senate. 

McMullin, who came closer than most have in years, turned the race over to Lee. 

“Utah is quintessentially western and quintessentially a state about freedom,” began Lee.  “We know what it means and we are willing to fight for it and sacrifice it and we’ve chosen it again tonight.”

Related reading

• GOP candidates keeping their jobs
• Blake Moore projected winner in First Congressional District