Utah has never seen anything like it: a disputed senatorial. Independent candidate Evan McMullin, a former Republican, is neck and neck with incumbent Mike Lee, one of Donald Trump’s lieutenants, for the November 8 midterm elections. In this fundamentally conservative state, Mormon to more than 65%, but which was never completely acquired in the 45e President, the performance revives the hopes of “Never Trumpers”, lifelong anti-Trump Republicans, to form a coalition to “saving American democracy from authoritarianism”in the words of the candidate.
The rare hair, the benevolent eye, the youthful smile, Evan McMullin, 46, is not entirely unknown in the political world. Former member of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), revolted by the rise of Trump eight years ago, he had presented himself – already as an independent – in the presidential election of 2016. His name did not appear on the ballots in only eleven states. But he had achieved, in Utah, a remarkable score for a candidate going it alone: 21.5%, behind Trump (45%) and Hillary Clinton (27%). Mike Lee, senator since 2011, appeared in the Tea Party movement, had even voted for him – before pledging allegiance to the new occupant of the White House.
This time, Mr. McMullin is running for the Senate and the local Democrats have decided – extremely rare – not to present a candidate. For most of them, like Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson, the priority is to block the way of Mike Lee, a libertarian lawyer who flirted with conspiracy theorists after the 2020 election, and supported the efforts to overturn the result, before changing his mind and approving the certification of Joe Biden’s victory.
American democracy “in great danger”
Other Democrats cannot bring themselves to support the ex-CIA agent. Evan McMullin remains a hard-core Republican: in favor of tax cuts and keeping Guantanamo prison, opposed to abortion and same-sex marriage – although, on a personal level, he has indicated that he respects the choice of his mother, who, after divorcing, remarried a woman. Not everyone considers it a first prize for virtue to have been, for ten years, infiltrated as an agent abroad. Mr. McMullin worked at the CIA from 2001 to 2011 in counterterrorism. “My experience at the Agency shaped my vision of America”he said.
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