Trump could lose Utah to a candidate over half of Americans have never heard of


Fifty-five percent of Americans say they have never heard of Independent candidate Evan McMullin, but in Utah he sits only one point back from Donald Trump, a UtahPolicy.com survey published Friday has found.
A conservative Mormon and graduate of Brigham Young University, McMullin offers an appealing alternative to Trump for conflicted Utah voters. Trump still manages to lead in the state with 30 percent, followed by McMullin at 29 percent and Clinton at 25 percent. Interestingly, Clinton's husband, former President Bill Clinton, finished third in Utah in his 1992 election behind George H.W. Bush and Ross Perot.
But just because McMullin is Mormon doesn't make him a lock for LDS members. While he leads 43 percent to Trump's 31 percent with "very active" LDS voters, Trump leads McMullin by 15 points among "somewhat active" Mormons. "If you want to understand why Utah has suddenly become the flavor of the month among the political cognoscenti, look no further than independent voters," UtahPolicy.com explains. "Among that group, Trump comes in third place, with McMullin grabbing 31 percent, Clinton winning 27 percent, and Trump with 20 percent."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The RealClearPolitics average for Utah between Aug. 19 and Oct. 14. shows Trump at 37 percent to Clinton's 23 percent, trailed by Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson and Green Party candidate Jill Stein. The UtahPolicy.com survey was conducted by Dan Jones & Associates between Oct. 12 and Oct. 18 among 818 likely Utah voters. It has a margin of error plus or minus 4 percent.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
-
Can Texas redistricting save the US House for the GOP?
Today's Big Question Trump pushes a 'ruthless' new plan, but it could backfire
-
'No one should be surprised by this cynical strategy'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Intellectual property: AI gains at creators' expense
Feature Two federal judges ruled that it is fair use for AI firms to use copyrighted media to train bots
-
SCOTUS greenlights mass DOE firings
Speed Read The Supreme Court will allow the Trump administration to further shrink the Education Department
-
Cuomo announces third-party run for NYC mayor
Speed Read He will go up against progressive Democratic powerhouse Zohran Mamdani and incumbent Mayor Eric Adams
-
Secret Service 'failures' on Trump shooting
Speed Read Two new reports detail security breakdowns that led to attempts on the president's life
-
Trump set to hit Canada with 35% tariffs
Speed Read The president accused Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney of failing to stop the cross-border flow of fentanyl
-
Mahmoud Khalil files $20M claim over ICE detention
Speed Read This is the 'first damages complaint' brought by an individual targeted by the Trump's administration's 'crackdown' on Gaza war protesters
-
Trump threatens Brazil with 50% tariffs
Speed Read He accused Brazil's current president of leading a 'witch hunt' against far-right former leader Jair Bolsonaro
-
AI scammer fakes Rubio messages to top officials
Speed Read The unknown individual mimicked Rubio in voice and text messages sent to multiple government officials
-
SCOTUS greenlights Trump's federal firings
speed read The Trump administration can conduct mass federal firings without Congress' permission, the Supreme Court ruled