Full Breakdown
Political Action Committee Involvement in Utah School Board Race
10/30/2025, 2:25:35 AM
PAC's Entry into the Aspen Peaks School Board Race
Liberty Champions PAC, linked to Senator Mike Lee's political network, has recently entered the Aspen Peaks School Board race in Utah, targeting candidate Stacy Bateman with attack mailers and texts. The PAC is supporting her opponent, Steve Sparti, and has been criticized for its messaging, which includes contentious culture-war themes such as critical race theory and transgender athletes. Notably, the PAC's materials contained a significant error, misspelling Bateman's name, which she described as indicative of a lack of research and a "smear campaign."
Connections to Mike Lee's Political Network
The PAC's involvement is closely associated with Dan Hauser, a former senior adviser to Senator Mike Lee, who has been linked to the PAC's operations. Hauser, who resides in the Aspen Peaks School District, has been identified as a key figure in the PAC's strategy. Thomas Datwyler, the PAC's treasurer, initially denied knowledge of the mailers but later acknowledged his role after being informed of the connections. Datwyler also serves as treasurer for Lee's campaign and the Utah Republican Party, raising questions about the transparency of the PAC's activities.
Financial Backing and Previous Campaigns
Liberty Champions PAC has received substantial financial backing, with about two-thirds of its funding coming from the Constitutional Conservatives super PAC, which Datwyler also oversees. In the 2024 election cycle, the PAC spent over $450,000 supporting a primary challenge to Republican Rep. Celeste Maloy. The PAC's largest donor during the 2022 election was Timothy Mellon, who contributed $500,000, raising concerns about the influence of wealthy donors in local races.
Criticism and Community Response
Bateman has publicly condemned the PAC's tactics, asserting that such smear campaigns undermine the integrity of local elections and that students should not be used as pawns in political battles. The community's response to the PAC's late-entry attacks remains uncertain, although Bateman previously led the primary election with 42.5% of the vote compared to Sparti's 28.3%.
Conflicting Reports on PAC Activities
There are discrepancies regarding the PAC's operations and the extent of its influence in the Aspen Peaks race. While the PAC's mailers disclosed their funding source, they did not clarify whether they were authorized by any candidate, which is a requirement under Utah law. The lack of clear communication has led to further scrutiny of the PAC's activities and its alignment with local electoral processes.
Verbatim Quotes
- “The fact that they spelled my name incorrectly is indicative of the amount of research they put into finding facts. This propaganda is unacceptable-our students are not pawns in a political game. The response from the majority of community members has been that smear campaigns have no place in Lehi,” — Stacy Bateman, Aspen Peaks School Board Candidate
- “Interesting. I honestly don’t know,” — Thomas Datwyler, PAC Treasurer, regarding his awareness of Liberty Champions’ activities.
Conclusion
The involvement of Liberty Champions PAC in the Aspen Peaks School Board race highlights the intersection of local education politics and broader political networks. As the election approaches, the implications of PAC influence on local governance and community representation remain a critical topic of discussion among voters and stakeholders in the district.
