Using conditional variable expression in usd so selecting one variant switches several lights on/off

Hi, I’m trying to use variable expressions in my usd so selecting one variant switches several lights on/off.
I’m using https://openusd.org/release/user_guides/variable_expressions.html#expression-function-reference as reference.
I’d like to use my var TIMEOFDAY so that once a variant is selected eg. “domelight1” - it sets TIMEOFDAY as “morning” and that turns of specific lights on stage. When I choose “domelight3”, I’d like specific multiple night lights to turn on. I’m having a difficult time with applying the if conditional:

#usda 1.0
(
    endTimeCode = 1
    framesPerSecond = 24
    metersPerUnit = 1
    startTimeCode = 1
    subLayers = [
        @./geo/layer_1.usd@,
        @./geo/layer_0.usd@
    ]
    timeCodesPerSecond = 24
    upAxis = "Y"
	
	expressionVariables = {
	string TIMEOFDAY = "evening"
	string[] TimesOfDayList = ["morning", "day", "evening"]
	}
)

def Xform "Variants"
{

    def Scope "Light" (
        variants = {
            string LightVar = "domelight1"
        }
        prepend variantSets = "LightVar"
    )
    {
        variantSet "LightVar" = {
            "domelight1" {
				string TIMEOFDAY = "morning"
                def DomeLight 'if(eq("morning", ${TIMEOFDAY}), "lightMORNING")' (
                    prepend apiSchemas = ["HoudiniViewportGuideAPI"]
                )
                {
                    custom rel filters = None
                    float houdini:guidescale = 1
                    bool houdini:inviewermenu = 0
                    color3f inputs:color = (1, 1, 1)
                    float inputs:diffuse = 1
                    bool inputs:enableColorTemperature = 0
                    float inputs:exposure = 0
                    float inputs:intensity = 350
                    bool inputs:normalize = 0
                    float inputs:specular = 1
                    asset inputs:texture:file = @@
                    token inputs:texture:format = "automatic"
                    rel light:filters = None
                    rel portals = None
                    matrix4d xformOp:transform = ((1, 0, 0, 0), (0, 1, 0, 0), (0, 0, 1, 0), (0, 0, 0, 1))
                    uniform token[] xformOpOrder = ["xformOp:transform"]
                }
            }
            "domelight2" {
                def DomeLight "lightDAY" (
                    prepend apiSchemas = ["HoudiniViewportGuideAPI"]
                )
                {
                    custom rel filters = None
                    float houdini:guidescale = 1
                    bool houdini:inviewermenu = 0
                    color3f inputs:color = (1, 1, 1)
                    float inputs:diffuse = 1
                    bool inputs:enableColorTemperature = 0
                    float inputs:exposure = 0
                    float inputs:intensity = 500
                    bool inputs:normalize = 0
                    float inputs:specular = 1
                    asset inputs:texture:file = @@
                    token inputs:texture:format = "automatic"
                    rel light:filters = None
                    rel portals = None
                    matrix4d xformOp:transform = ((1, 0, 0, 0), (0, 1, 0, 0), (0, 0, 1, 0), (0, 0, 0, 1))
                    uniform token[] xformOpOrder = ["xformOp:transform"]
                }
            }
            "domelight3" {
                def DomeLight "lightEVENING" (
                    prepend apiSchemas = ["HoudiniViewportGuideAPI"]
                )
                {
                    custom rel filters = None
                    float houdini:guidescale = 1
                    bool houdini:inviewermenu = 0
                    color3f inputs:color = (1, 1, 1)
                    float inputs:diffuse = 1
                    bool inputs:enableColorTemperature = 0
                    float inputs:exposure = 0
                    float inputs:intensity = 350
                    bool inputs:normalize = 0
                    float inputs:specular = 1
                    asset inputs:texture:file = @@
                    token inputs:texture:format = "automatic"
                    rel light:filters = None
                    rel portals = None
                    matrix4d xformOp:transform = ((1, 0, 0, 0), (0, 1, 0, 0), (0, 0, 1, 0), (0, 0, 0, 1))
                    uniform token[] xformOpOrder = ["xformOp:transform"]
                }
            }
        }
    }
}

this produces an error:

2024-05-29 09:41:56  [Error] [omni.usd] Runtime Error (secondary thread): in textFileFormatYyerror at line 3162 of pxr/usd/sdf/textFileFormat.yy -- 'if(eq("morning", ${TIMEOFDAY}), "lightMORNING")' is not a valid prim name at ''if(eq("morning", ${TIMEOFDAY}), "lightMORNING")'' in </Variants/Light{LightVar=domelight1}> on line 33 in file (...)Main.usda

How do I use the conditionals or edit my usd to handle turning mutltiple lights on/off based on variant selection?