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Evan McMullin – For Many Of Us, Why in the World Not?
@dickfrombrooklyn (oh, dear…or was it @ctlaw? I had already had a few beers) and I were talking with Rob Long last night at the meetup, and I was lamenting that there isn’t more discussion on the site about Evan McMullin. Today, I actually used the Ricochet search function (something I don’t usually do, though I am a champion Googler) and found that, in fact, there have been a couple of posts. Anyway, last night, Rob’s response to my lamentation was: “Write something!”
OK.
If you are a committed NeverHillary conservative and you are (i) NeverTrump (not voting for Rodham or Trump), or (ii) ReluctantlyTrump (holding your nose and voting for him) even though you think he has no chance of winning, or (iii) ReluctantlyTrump but live in a blue state where your vote doesn’t make a difference anyway, why not vote for McMullin – the only true conservative in the race?
Rather than refraining from voting, or voting for someone you don’t like and think can’t win, or voting for someone you don’t like in a state where your vote “doesn’t matter,” why not vote for the one who expresses to the world, “This is who we are?”
If every single person that met the descriptions (i), (ii), or (iii) voted for McMullin, wouldn’t that be a wonderful thing?*
I’ve heard that there’s a possibility McMullin will win Utah. Wouldn’t that be a wonderful thing?*
If McMullin won non-trivial numbers of voters in other states, making him more than a just a forgotten footnote in this election, wouldn’t that be a wonderful thing?*
The only problem I see (I am NeverHillary/NeverTrump) in voting for McMullin as a write-in is a minor, procedural one. It’s ridiculous, but apparently, even though McMullin has named the delightfully-named Mindy Finn as his running mate, his legal running mate is another person — a friend of McMullin’s who acted as a placeholder in the paperwork. I can’t even remember the guy’s name. But I believe you can’t write in Finn’s name as Vice President — you have to write in this other guy’s name. Sheesh! Fortunately, this is an issue that some quick Googling could resolve. It’s easy enough to go to McMullin’s website and figure out how to vote for him in your state.
I do wish there was a groundswell of like-minded people willing to turn out and make a declaration, via their vote, that’s collectively less of a whimper and more of a shout.
It’s probably naïve, but I like to think that McMullin’s candidacy could be, as he suggests, the beginning of a new conservative (“Conservative?”) party in the US. I’m beginning to think this is something that needs to occur.
* When I say “wonderful thing,” I am obviously describing the perspective of someone who falls into categories (i), (ii), or (iii) above. I don’t need to hear from folks in the comments saying, “Of course it’s not a wonderful thing, because only Trump can fix!”
Published in General
Done and dusted over two weeks ago here, for me; glad I had the option to be Unaffiliated and non-binary. Also happy that it’s (supposed to be) a secret ballot. Enjoy the fray!
So’s Trump. Might as well vote for the one that at least pretends he’ll respect me in the morning.
@johnnydubya I’m considering him. I was NeverTrump but weakened after the convention, however the recent performances at the debates have me back at NeverTrump. I will not vote for him and can do a write-in for Ted Cruz but I would prefer not to if I had a real alternative. I don’t find his comments intemperate and I do think he is referring to certain elements that have come out of the dark with Trump so to speak – alt-right and specifically racialist elements. I also think the larger problem is that the GOP has to make a better case to minorities and the poor white working class as to how our policies help create wealth and economic prosperity. Trump has done some reaching out to black communities, which is laudable and I don’t actually think he is a racist, but he is also failing to really make the case. There are too many issues with his candidacy in other ways to make the case. We need someone who talks about the constitution and liberty and the power of free markets in a way that is convincing and passionate. I am going to check this guy out. Thanks for your thoughts.
I don’t see how anyone could thing anything else. For the love of God David Duke has decided to run for the Senate specifically because of Trump’s success during the primaries.
You are correct, sir!
Ha! From a Trump supporter? That is rich.
I still haven’t decided. McMullin is a pipe dream -if I really am reduced to that, I think I’d prefer just to wash my hands of the Emperor entirely.
My worry is that he’d be, at best John Quincy Adams -who sweeps in on a House vote, empowering the same elements that empowered Trump, only more so -to break things up.
At worse, he’d be John Tyler -going completely off the reservation once he’s elected, which is basically @bryangstephens concern, and one I also share. Either way, what’s left of the party would be wrecked.
McMullin’s remarks, which are amply quoted here, go well beyond singling out a fringe group of Trump supporters. Speculating as to whether anyone else sees that racism seems to me to be rather beside the point to a factual discussion of McMullin.
Yes. I really don’t want to hear about how being anti-Trump is pro-Hillary. If a vote for Evan McMullin now is a vote for Hillary, a vote for Trump in the primaries was ten votes for Hillary.
Come the week of the election, I shall look at the polls. If Trump appears competitive, I’ll vote for him as a win by him would be the most likely scenario for keeping Hillary out of the White House.
If, however, it’s clear in the polls that Trump is going to lose and there’s no real hope of stopping Hillary from winning, I’ll probably vote McMullin, not because I think there’s any realistic shot of him somehow becoming President, but as a message to the GOP.
Trump sucks. He was a horrible choice to pick in the Primaries. Perhaps there is some good to how he shook things up, but on balance I think he’s done considerably more damage as he often appeared to be leftists’ straw-man version of a Republican made flesh, and his example will make it that much harder for conservatives to not appear hypocritical when they argue for virtue in candidates in the future.
I would rather have Trump as president than Hillary (in the same way I’d rather my arm be cut off than my head). But my hopes aren’t high in that regard and, yes, if it’s clear come election week that Trump is not gonna win, why not do a protest vote?
This is one reason I’m still planning to vote for Gary Johnson. The Libertarian Party has been around as long as I’ve been alive and is on the ballot in all 50 states (unlike McMullin who’s not on my ballot). If a 3rd party is going to have any lasting impact beyond this election, they’re the most plausible contender for the role. It’s still a long shot, I’ll readily concede, but a hundred-to-one shot is still a better bet than a million-to-one shot.
Speaking for myself, had McMullin been the 18th candidate, he would have been about 13th or so on my preference list. I’d have preferred him to at least Trump, Huckabee, Gilmore, and Pataki. I would not have voted him over Cruz or Rubio, or probably anyone assumed to be “A list” circa March 2015.
Generically, I think McMullin would be an excellent House candidate, a reasonable Senate or Governor candidate from a small state, somewhat underqualified for a big-state governorship, and definitely underqualified for President (by “underqualified” I mean “not enough experience yet“). I would summarize my attitude as, “I like you a lot, but… for President? Spend 6 years as Governor of UT and then we’ll talk”, and that would also be my opinion for 2020
I plan on voting for him because–short version–of the people eligible to receive votes where I live, I prefer him to all other options. I would make him president over Clinton or Trump 100 times out of 100. If he somehow manages to win UT and be made president by the House I will not regret my vote in the slightest
I wrote him in. He is not perfect either but better than the Libertarian, Herself or Trump.
The biggest difference with this and calling people racist is that felonies/misdemeaors/absentee fathers/out of wedlock births are well defined metrics based on objectivity. We have legally defined terms that can be applied evenly across the board.
“Racism” does not. What USED to be racism (pre judging based on someone’s skin color) has morphed into an all consuming monster with such ambiguous definition as “what all white people are”.
It is racist for a black church to give Trump a jewish prayer shaw and jewish bible because of “cultural appropriation). Wait… I thought only white people are racist… that’s right. TRUMP is racist for accepting a GIFT.
It is racist to buy into scientific studies on IQ. It is racist for a man who lost a child to gang warfare to express his distaste for “black culture”. It is currently racist to talk about “Inner Cities” because its implies blacks. It is racist to fly or wear a Confederate flag. It is racist to own a Dukes of Hazard car?
It is racist to call illegal immigrants illegal immigrants.
Who is McMullin talking about? It doesn’t matter, because where the left is concerned, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US meets some definition of “racist”.
Thanks to those who answered my question. Since ours is a secret ballot, and no one except whom you tell will ever know you voted McMullin, if you are voting for your conscience, why would you not write in Cruz or Walker or whomever you think would be truly best for the job, instead of someone who is just ‘better’ than Trump for the job? If you are voting to prevent Trump from being President, why not leave conscience out of it and vote strategically for Clinton, since she has a much better chance of beating Trump than McMullin?
If you can’t vote for either, think of your Trump vote as neutralizing some fraudulent vote cast by a Democrat operative. There will be millions and you can still feel good about yourself after Hillary continues to destroy the Republic.
You misspelled Trump, Mike. :)
No way. I would not vote for him over a more qualified candidate. He is better than Trump or Hillary but he doesn’t really have the experience for the job and I am not sure how he would do as President. But as for the extremely low bar set by Trump and Hillary McMullin leaps over it.
Since McMullin is running a campaign a vote for him is more likely to register in the general public as a protest vote and it won’t show up as generic “other” vote. So out of the candidates running a vote for McMullin is more useful.
Why would any sane, thinking person ever vote for Hillary for any reason? If anything she is likely to be at least as bad if not worse than Trump for President. The whole point is to not vote for someone is totally unfit for office. No one really should be voting for Trump or Hillary.
At multiple points since the convention, I considered posting on “The four reasons I should vote for Hillary… and the four reasons I just can’t”. As much as people cite “principles” for voting against Trump, for me it’s the reverse: Despite my reasons for voting against Trump, on principle I cannot vote to ratify Hillary’s corruption or her role in the Benghazi deaths.
At one point, inspired by a conversation here, I said: This election is like having your hair on fire and trying to put out the fire with hydrochloric acid. I’m just not sure, from day to day, which candidate is which in this analogy.
Regarding why not write in someone else, I have three reasons. First, the other candidates gave up. I believe in for voting only for candidates who care enough and have the moxie to pursue the job. Second, to the extent I am sending a message to the GOP, that message will be heard only if my voice is part of a chorus. A handful of votes for Fiorina, say, would be lost, whereas a thousand for McMullin will show up on the list of whom people voted for. (Side note: The real question is why I’m not voting LP; the reason is that Johnson has also disqualified himself and the LP as serious leaders.)
The third reason is: Although he hasn’t been vetted through a long primary campaign, McMullin’s background and temperament suggest he’s a smart, thoughtful, modest, patriotic guy who believes in American exceptionalism and the Constitution. I like the guy. I’m happy to vote for him.
Because in order for it to be tallied you have to be registered as a write in candidate and those others aren’t. McMullin is also in good shape to win Utah and in play with momentum in other western states. The more that vote for him nationwide the better in my opinion .
I’m not voting to stop anyone, that’s the reason I’m not voting for trump. I’m refusing to vote for any candidate that I consider unfit for office. In my estimation you are either fit for office or you aren’t, it’s not a comparison of who is less fit.
Time to bust out the old establishment argument!
If you’re trying to send a message to “the GOP” by voting for McMullin to whom is the message being sent?
Because as @roblong liked to remind us in 2012 during the Romney grumbling in the general election (and the aftermath) the “Establishment” didn’t vote for the nominee over the objections of the voters. Republican voters voted for Trump.
Do you really think Trump’s voters aren’t aware that some Republicans don’t like their choice? And how will that message be received if McMullin and Trump’s votes combined would have beaten Hillary?
Because to vote for someone who lost the primary would play into the “sore loser” argument? I don’t know. Yours is a good question, and I was considering Cruz until he caved. I’m in the Leave-It-Blank camp, myself, as I agree with Hoyacon that McMullin’s race comments are disqualifying, so I’m maybe not the one who should answer. (Now he tells us.)
Exactly. If “Vote to stop [name]” was sufficient, then I’d vote for Trump because Clinton is at the top of the list of people who need to be stopped. The problem is that Trump is #2, and the gap is not large; it’s like deciding whether I want to pay $10 or $9.99 for an item.
I’m not voting because all of them have disqualified themselves somehow: Johnson is on the wrong side religious liberty as well as being a goofball in general; Castle is a protectionist (which is near the top of the list of things I dislike about Trump;) and McMullin made those “race problem” comments.
I don’t think he entered this with real political ambitions, so I don’t know if that would matter to him much. I do think he did this so that someone like me would have someone to support at the top, as a blank space does not inspire people to leave their houses in November. Like… what if I have to do laundry or something?
Not only does this help the down ballot, but it sends a message to the Republicans still standing–and I hope there are a lot of them in the Congress–that a reality tv star who panders to the darkest corners of the tent has created a rump party that is not nationally viable.
You have a guy with NO name recognition at all possibly winning a state after campaigning for 2 months, and people think that’s because of some sour grapes over the primary or a purity test or whatever? Puh-llleeeeese. That’s just amazing.
I don’t understand why Trump supporters don’t get that many politically motivated people like me would never have supported Trump whether or not Evan was in this.
Maybe he’ll provide enough cover per the support he garners for conservatives to A) start a new party or B) show reforms are desperately needed in the old one.
I can’t–and won’t–return to a Trump branded anything.
Just sent my absentee ballot for McMullin home to Utah, yesterday. Some people are visual learners and when I argue that not all conservatives have succumbed to Trumpism, I want somewhere to point on the map. That said, my vote would have been the same even without the recent upsurge. When both major party candidates will do major harm to the country my vote goes to the third party challenger who most represents my values and principles.
The GOP is no longer McMullin’s party and neither is it mine. For McMullin to call out the Republicans’ embrace of tribalism was both morally necessary and tactically sound. “Racism” covers a lot of ground. While today’s GOP may not be the second coming of the dixiecrats it has given free reign to ethno-nationalism and racial identity politics. McMullin has no duty to dissect the exact nature of the GOP’s racial pathologies any more than Clinton or Johnson. His duty is to distance himself and his supporters from the GOP and its supporters as much as possible, to facilitate the creation of a new brand. It’s not our party and that’s the point.
Evan McMullin was born with the first name of David. I wonder why he doesn’t use it anymore. (Just trying to reinforce some stereotyping.)
I will be writing in McMullin. As Lois said, it’s good to have a reason to leave the house and vote for those down ballot candidates. And as Concretevol said, it’s not about voting for the least worst candidate. If I don’t think someone is fit for office, I’m not casting a vote on their behalf. As much as I didn’t particularly care for McCain, I held my nose and voted for him because he was qualified and fit for office. I am not writing in Rubio or Fiorina or Walker because they quit. And in Rubio’s case, actually endorsed Trump.