I’ll Skip Voting for Utah’s U.S. Senate Seat
– By Howard Sierer –
Sen. Mike Lee shut down the government for 16 days in October 2013. Evan McMullin ran for president as an independent in 2016 and is now running for the U.S. Senate with full support from the Democratic Party.
As a moderate conservative who recognizes that political solutions for today’s challenges require compromise and balance, I’m between a rock and a hard place with Utah’s 2022 U.S. Senate race.
In 2013, I promised myself that I would never again vote for Lee after he joined Ted Cruz to shut down the government. Their stunt had virtually no chance of accomplishing their goal of defunding Obamacare since most Republican senators realized the damning political fallout that preventing a vote would cause their party. I’m no Obamacare fan, but damaging the economy crossed the line.
Through the balance of Obama’s term and now again with Biden, Lee has talked about shutting down the government to showcase his right-wing bona fides, encouraged by the media attention he gets. In each of these subsequent years, he’s backed away.
To me, Lee’s actions smack of a petulant child threatening to take his toys and go home if his playmates won’t go along with his demands. Compromise is the essence of political realism.
I voted for Evan McMullin for president in 2016 primarily because I couldn’t support either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton. I didn’t expect McMullin to carry Utah, and he didn’t. My protest vote, along with those of about 20% of other Utah voters, apparently has encouraged him to try for Lee’s senate seat this year.
I find it impossible to vote for McMullin this time. To have any influence as an independent, he would need to caucus with either senate Democrats or Republicans. (Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders caucuses with the Democrats.) Both parties would likely woo him, especially if the Senate remains closely divided after the coming election.
Caucusing with one party or the other wouldn’t obligate McMullin to side with that party on every vote but would clearly show where his interests lie. And that party’s leadership will certainly put pressure on him to conform.
We’ve seen how a tax-and-spend Democratic Congress created today’s rampant inflation and couldn’t restrain itself from spending another $438 billion this last summer on green pork government handouts. Should McMullin choose to join with them, his votes could perpetuate a spendthrift Democratic majority. Even more ominous: the possibility of confirming another radical leftwing Supreme Court justice who sees themself as a de facto legislator, not a judge.
McMullin has not and will not alienate his new-found supporters in Utah’s Democratic Party by declaring his intentions before the election. Instead, he portrays himself as a moderate, seeking to unite people across the middle of the political spectrum. That’s the safe thing to do for someone with no political record.
I believe electing a Republican-majority Senate is important to mitigate the damage that has been done over the last two years. I’m not willing to take a chance on McMullin spoiling that possibility, so he won’t get my vote.
While I don’t always agree with Sen. Mitt Romney, I find myself generally in line with him. I’d vote for a Romney clone in a heartbeat, but no such luck in this election. Other minority party senate candidates seem to be one trick ponies with a narrow focus and limited perspective on national issues.
So, I’ll leave the Senate line empty on my ballot this year. I don’t like doing that but my conscience won’t let me do anything else.
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Stalemate – well you can always write in Tulsi.
You miss the most important point, Howard, regarding the threat to our democratic republic.
To satisfy his lust for power and his self-serving agenda, Lee supported Trump’s attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 election by force and coercion. Lee’s texts prior to the attack on the Capitol on January 6th, prove Lee’s treasonous intent beyond doubt, in flagrant violation of his oath of office.
In stark contrast to Lee, Evan McMullin would defend our democracy. Having witnessed the loss of human/civil rights as a CIA operative in other countries, McMullin understands first hand the tragic consequences when civil liberties are corrupted.
McMullin’s “Priorities” and “Principles for Renewal” described on his website offer a refreshing alternative to the extreme, polarizing, traitorous agenda of Lee.
Tragically, too many Utah voters succumbed to Lee’s big money massive media blitz
of lies, fear and character assassination. Because McMullin refused corporate/PAC money, he could not counter effectively.