CNN

Utah Democrats back independent as US Senate candidate

Apr 24, 2022, 12:02 PM | Updated: Jun 8, 2022, 3:16 pm

FILE: Independent candidate Evan McMullin  (Photo by George Frey/Getty Images)...

FILE: Independent candidate Evan McMullin (Photo by George Frey/Getty Images)

(Photo by George Frey/Getty Images)

(CNN) — The Utah Democratic Party on Saturday threw its support behind the independent candidacy of former presidential contender Evan McMullin to take on GOP Sen. Mike Lee.

The decision to get behind McMullin could help bolster his Senate bid at a time when Lee is on the defensive over newly revealed text messages showing he communicated for weeks with then-White House chief of staff Mark Meadows about the effort to overturn the 2020 election.

Party delegates voted 57% to 43% Saturday at their convention in Murray, Utah, to not nominate a candidate of their own. Former State Department official Kael Weston had been seeking the Democratic endorsement for US Senate.

“Today Utah Democrats voted to join Evan McMullin’s cross-partisan coalition and not to nominate a candidate into the 2022 midterm US Senate race,” McMullin’s campaign said in a statement Saturday. “This marks the first time in Utah’s history that the Democratic Party has not put forward a candidate for a statewide race choosing instead to put country over party.”

Weston said he respected the decision. “Let’s all help get other Democrats elected this year. And let’s all help defeat Mike Lee — the sooner the better,” he said on Twitter.

Lee, who is seeking a third term in November, remains the favorite in deep-red Utah, which backed then-President Donald Trump by over 20 points in 2020. Democrats have not won a US Senate election in Utah since 1970.

Lee also has a strong cash-on-hand advantage over McMullin, according to their most recent filings with the Federal Election Commission. The senator faces a June primary against two Republicans, former state Rep. Becky Edwards and former state government official Ally Isom, who qualified for the ballot by submitting the required number of signatures.

McMullin, a former CIA officer and onetime House GOP aide, ran for president in 2016 as an anti-Trump conservative. While he got less than 1% of the popular vote, his candidacy earned about 22% of the vote in Utah, his best showing of any state.

“I’m humbled and grateful to the Democratic delegates today for their decision to support this growing cross-partisan coalition,” McMullin said Saturday. “Today, and moving forward, this coalition represents a majority of Utahns who want to replace Senator Mike Lee. He is a threat to the republic and consistently fails to represent our interests and our values.”

Former Utah Rep. Ben McAdams, who lost reelection in 2020 after serving one term, was among the state Democrats actively engaged in trying to get his party to not nominate a candidate at the convention. He wrote in a Facebook post on Sunday that he was “proud to be part of Evan’s growing coalition of independents, Democrats and Republicans. Together we can win this race and defeat Senator Mike Lee.”

McAdams had looked at running for the Senate seat himself, but he said he ultimately decided against it after seeing his own polling on how hard it would be to win as a Democrat in a longtime Republican state.

CNN reported earlier this month that texts between Lee and Meadows show a series of communications beginning just days after the 2020 election in which Lee initially expressed support for challenging the election results. In early December 2020, the senator began texting Meadows about the idea that states could submit alternate slates of pro-Trump electors to Congress on January 6, 2021.

But in statements since the insurrection, Lee has given the impression that he was simply monitoring activity from states, as opposed to promoting the idea of separate electors to Meadows.

In an interview last week with the Utah-based Deseret News, Lee defended himself and attempted to dismiss the narrative that he was working to overturn the election or that he was working on behalf of the White House. “At no point in any of those was I engaging in advocacy,” Lee said in reference to calls he made to states about whether they were submitting alternate slates of electors.

“I wasn’t in any way encouraging them to do that. I just asked them a yes or no question,” he told the Deseret News.

KSL 5 TV Live

CNN

Previously, more than 100,000 people poured into Venice on some holidays, leading to scenes like th...

Julia Buckley

Protests as Venice begins charging entry fee for day-trippers

Anybody visiting Venice as a tourist for the day – except those who live in the local Veneto region – must pay the $5.40 charge if they arrive between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.

4 minutes ago

Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Mike Johnson (R-LA) attends a news conference at Colum...

Haley Talbot, Lauren Fox and Clare Foran, CNN

Johnson calls on Columbia University president to resign during tense news conference

House Speaker Mike Johnson called on Columbia University’s president to resign Wednesday during a tense news conference.

16 hours ago

Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba is pictured in Kyiv on April 15. Ukraine is tightening pre...

Radina Gigova, CNN

Ukraine tightens pressure on military age men abroad as part of wider mobilization rules overhaul

Ukraine is tightening pressure on men of call-up age living abroad by temporarily suspending consular services, amid a wider overhaul of the country’s mobilization rules aimed at beefing up its defenses against Russia’s invasion.

17 hours ago

A Ford sign is shown at a dealership in Springfield, Pa., Tuesday, April 26, 2022. Ford is recallin...

Chris Isidore, CNN

Ford just reported a massive loss on every electric vehicle it sold

Ford’s electric vehicle unit reported that losses soared in the first quarter to $1.3 billion, or $132,000 for each of the 10,000 vehicles it sold in the first three months of the year, helping to drag down earnings for the company overall.

18 hours ago

Mandatory Credit:	Mario Anzuoni/Reuters via CNN Newsource
Dateline:	LOS ANGELES, February 04, 2024...

Lisa Respers France, CNN

Taylor Swift’s elementary school teachers remember her as a young star

Turns out Taylor Swift doesn’t just speak now when it comes to writing, but has long had a reputation for being fearless.

20 hours ago

Congress finalized legislation on April 23 that could lead to a nationwide TikTok ban, escalating a...

Brian Fung, CNN

Biden just signed a potential TikTok ban into law. Here’s what happens next

President Joe Biden signed a bill Wednesday that could lead to a nationwide TikTok ban, escalating a massive threat to the company’s US operations.

24 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

Women hold card for scanning key card to access Photocopier Security system concept...

Les Olson

Why Printer Security Should Be Top of Mind for Your Business

Connected printers have vulnerable endpoints that are an easy target for cyber thieves. Protect your business with these tips.

Modern chandelier hanging from a white slanted ceiling with windows in the backgruond...

Lighting Design

Light Up Your Home With These Top Lighting Trends for 2024

Check out the latest lighting design trends for 2024 and tips on how you can incorporate them into your home.

Technician woman fixing hardware of desktop computer. Close up....

PC Laptops

Tips for Hassle-Free Computer Repairs

Experiencing a glitch in your computer can be frustrating, but with these tips you can have your computer repaired without the stress.

Close up of finger on keyboard button with number 11 logo...

PC Laptops

7 Reasons Why You Should Upgrade Your Laptop to Windows 11

Explore the benefits of upgrading to Windows 11 for a smoother, more secure, and feature-packed computing experience.

Stylish room interior with beautiful Christmas tree and decorative fireplace...

Lighting Design

Create a Festive Home with Our Easy-to-Follow Holiday Prep Guide

Get ready for festive celebrations! Discover expert tips to prepare your home for the holidays, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere for unforgettable moments.

Battery low message on mobile device screen. Internet and technology concept...

PC Laptops

9 Tips to Get More Power Out of Your Laptop Battery

Get more power out of your laptop battery and help it last longer by implementing some of these tips from our guide.

Utah Democrats back independent as US Senate candidate