The rise and rise of Evan McMullin (formerly Egg McMuffin)

[Fuzzy Bear]

NBC News just put out a poll for UT.

Clinton (D) 26%
Trump (R) 26%
McMullin (I) 24%

Eegads!

[Fuzzy Bear]

Like I said in the Monmouth poll thread, I think the folks here claiming that it's "necessary" for him to get certain endorsements in order to at least finish in the top two in Utah are off the mark.  The most important thing is for him to get media exposure, so voters actually know who he is.  That Monmouth poll has a whopping 66% of voters having no opinion of him, yet he's still at 20% support.  The ideal scenario for him is to have his strong poll #s generate a bunch of news stories about him in Utah, leading much/most of that 66% to become aware of his existence, and then for a respectable chunk of those people to decide to vote for him.

I mean, Trump is at ~70% unfavorable in Utah, so there are a lot of potential voters for McMullin to pick off.  That can happen even without any advertising or endorsements.

That might be true, but endorsements from top Utah politicians or Mitt Romney would really help in generating these news.

Bingo

[Fuzzy Bear]

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https://twitter.com/LouDobbs/status/790024160160411648?lang=en


bat-shoot crazy.

"Mormon Mafia"? How unapologetically bigoted.

But then it's Lou Dobbs, so.....

I'm certainly not a Mormon.  They have a very different idea of who Jesus Christ was and is, and the differences have Eternal Consequences.

That being said, folks who are cheering McMullin and Utah's Mormons because they are taking action (out of sincerity) that coincides with Hillary's political interests, are folks who would likely make jokes about or be rude to if they came to their doors to evangelize them.  Make cracks about "sister wives" and polygamy, etc.  (Polygamy was abolished as a condition of Deseret Territory being admitted to the Union as the state of Utah.)

I admire the Mormons of Utah taking a stand on moral grounds and actually finding a way to flex muscle in a way that doesn't just blindly usher in a different evil (in their eyes), but actually causes folks to stand up and take notice.  I think it would be great for our REPUBLIC if McMullin were to carry Utah.  This may fly in the face of popular democracy, but actions like this were more of what the Founders had in mind when selecting a President.

[Fuzzy Bear]

McMullin worked for the CIA, the Republicans in Congress and Goldman Sachs. If you vote for him you are probably a terrible person. Also, wasn't it cool to make fun of Mormons a few years back? Why the Lou Dobbs hate? If he did it in 2011 and 2012 he would be celebrated. 

Millions of decent people are going to vote for all of the candidates.  A handful of loonies will vote for all of the candidates.  The people of America are much better than their Presidential candidates in this election, and are doing the best they can do with what they have to work with.

[Fuzzy Bear]

I urge American voters from coast to coast to vote for McMullin/Finn in states where they are on the ballot and to vote for them as a write-in in states where they are not on the ballot.

McMullin and Finn will restore honesty and integrity to the American political system.

If people want what you want, they'll have to vote Republican, and hope for a Faithless Elector scenario.

A vote for McMullin outside of UT is a vote for Hillary.

On the other hand, if trends continue the way they are going, it is possible that neither Trump nor Clinton would have 270 EV, which creates scenarios that are interesting.

I have little doubt that House Republicans would love to elect a President other than Donald Trump.  They are in a conundrum because folks will have actually voted for Trump, and that counts for something, but both they, and a lot of Republicans, would take any off ramp they could find to substitute someone other than Trump, and they would be doing so almost 2 years before they face the voters again.

I believe that the key to this happening is for McMullin to instruct his electors to vote for some other Republican for President that the House will support, and for Mike Pence for VP.  That begs a question of who that Republican would be.

Ted Cruz?

Marco Rubio?

John Kasich?

Jeb Bush?

Lindsey Graham?

Mitt Romney?

Paul Ryan?

I don't see McMullin as having the background to actually be chosen as the next President.  He's impressive for a Senate candidate, but he has no political base other than Utah, and in some other Mormon communities; beyond that, he's no more viable a candidate than you or I would be, resume and all.  (Although I think he's got more on the ball than a number of folks who DID run.)  I think that if McMullin blocks the path to 270 for both Trump and Hillary and chooses wisely, he could be the most stupendous Kingmaker in American History, and POSSIBLY be the next VICE-President or Secretary of State.