An unlikely surge in Utah

WITH the Gothic spires of the Salt Lake Temple looming behind her, Diane, who works for the Mormon Church, grimaces as she considers her political choices. “Well, Trump wants to be king, not president. And Hillary lacks integrity. I would vote for Mickey Mouse before I voted for either of them.” The only candidate Diane can stomach is Evan McMullin, a 40-year-old Mormon from Utah who served in the CIA and announced his candidacy as an independent only two months ago. According to some pollsters, the previously unknown Mr McMullin is either tied with, or outperforming, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump in Utah—one of only 11 states where he appears on the ballot. If he wins, which is still a long shot, this would be the first time a third-party candidate has won a state since 1968. It would also represent a remarkable departure from the state’s past political record. The Beehive State has been ruby red since the 1960s; Republicans have bested Democrats in general elections there by at least 18 percentage points since 1964. This largely has to do with Utah’s population of Mormons, who make up over 70% of the electorate and lean more Republican than...Continue reading

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