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Evan McMullin says he won’t caucus with Republicans or Democrats if elected

Independent candidate for Utah’s U.S. Senate race Evan McMullin won the backing of the Utah Democratic Party on Saturday over their own party candidate.

(Briana Scroggins | Special to The Tribune) Utah independent Evan McMullin spoke during the Utah Democratic Convention at Cottonwood High School in Murray, Utah on Saturday, April 23, 2022.

Evan McMullin’s U.S. Senate campaign spokesperson on Monday reiterated that if he were to become elected the independent candidate vying for incumbent Mike Lee’s seat would not caucus with the Republican or Democratic parties.

Kelsey Koenen Witt, communications director for McMullin’s campaign, said the former CIA intelligence officer has pledged to maintain his independence.

“As a senator, he would be accountable to Utahns and to his conscience, not to party bosses or special interest groups which corrupt our politics today,” she said in a statement. “What Evan is doing is unique, and it is the only way to change our broken politics in Washington and bring better representation to the Senate for Utah.”

In a historic vote, the Utah Democratic Party on Saturday chose to back McMullin over their own party candidate Kael Weston to challenge a Republican in the contested U.S. Senate race. McMullin received about 57% of delegates’ votes, preliminary results show.

It’s an unprecedented measure for the Utah Democratic Party in a state that hasn’t elected a Democrat in the U.S. Senate in over half a century.

Lee, Becky Edwards and Ally Isom will face each other in the upcoming June primary to win the Republican nomination.

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