Trump's gaffe about Utah coffee shops provides ammunition for Evan McMullin's takedown
Former CIA operative Evan McMullin is aiming to disrupt the presidential election by robbing both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump of Utah and possibly other Mountain West states. In doing so, he would become the first Independent candidate to win electoral votes in almost 50 years. At the very least, McMullin could also realistically flip deep-red Utah from Trump to Clinton; Mormon voters have been hesitant to rally behind Trump, and McMullin is a practicing Mormon himself.
Any way you put it, McMullin is likely making Trump worried. RealClearPolitics' average has Trump up six points, trailed by McMullin, while other polls have Trump just two or three points ahead. An Emerson poll in mid-October actually showed McMullin up four points on Trump.
Trump has lashed out at McMullin, claiming McMullin "can't do anything" and painting him as "this character that's running all over the state … going from coffee shop to coffee shop." McMullin doesn't seem terribly concerned about Trump's ire, though:
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Read more about McMullin's long shot candidacy, and how he could still tip the election, at Politico.
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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.
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