Independent Candidate For President Who Could Win Utah Campaigns In Colorado
LAKEWOOD, Colo. (CBS4) - An independent candidate for president who is making waves brought his message to Colorado this week.
Evan McMullin spoke to a crowd in Lakewood on Tuesday night and he acknowledged that many people in the crowd probably don't know much about him.
McMullin entered the presidential race late in the game, but he has a chance to defeat both Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton in the state of Utah. Conservatives there are showing a reluctance to vote for Trump.
If McMullin were to do that, it would be the first time a presidential candidate who doesn't belong to one of the country's two main political parties would secure electoral votes since 1968. (George Wallace ran on the American Independent Party ticket in that election.)
It's a slim chance, but...
If McMullin does win Utah...
Then neither Clinton nor Trump secures a majority of the Electoral College votes...
The election goes to the House of Representatives. Some political analysts say McMullin would be elected if that were to happen, despite his having virtually no shot at winning by popular vote.
"Someone had to stand on principle. I didn't know if this would be successful or how it would play out," said McMullin in his first campaign stop in Colorado.
McMullin started his event by sharing his background with those in the crowd. He's a policy director for House Republicans, an ex-CIA officer and Mormon.
"A new conservative movement will stand for women when they're attacked so that they know they're a part of this too, that's what a new conservative movement is, it will be dedicated to equality and liberty," he told the crowd.
In an interview with CBS4, McMullin said he'll return power to states and simplify the tax code if elected.
"Here we are with Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump who personify our leadership crisis in this country, and we've got to break out of that and the only way to do that is use our voices and our votes," he said.
McMullin is only on the ballot in Colorado and 10 other states, but he's asking voters to write in his name in other locations.
One voter who attended McMullin's rally told CBS4 he's not in favor of casting a ballot for Trump or Clinton.
"It's kind of hard to say what you do with your vote, but at least something I believe in would be better," Aurora resident Gary Gustafson said.
Another described McMullin as having a "good moral center that other candidates don't have."
"I feel like he's moderate, and so he can please a lot of people," Sara Andrews, of Erie, said.
Another voter told CBS4 she's switching her support from Libertarian Gary Johnson to McMullin.
