Sen. Mike Lee is in trouble in Utah, as Evan McMullin came into the debate prepared and shredded the incumbent senator.
McMullin called out Lee for supporting Putin and being the only US Senator not sanctioned by Russia:
McMullin: You are the only member of Utah’s congressional delegation not to be blacklisted by Putin. There is a reason why. In 2017 he was one of only two senators to vote against sanctioning Putin’s regime. In 2019, He went to Russia alone and discussed lifting sanctions. pic.twitter.com/FppIGXkyLL
— Acyn (@Acyn) October 18, 2022
McMullin said, “We need to elect leaders and representatives of this freedom-loving state who stand up to foreign dictators and not enable them. Sen. Lee, remarkably, you are the only member of Utah’s congressional delegation, he already knows where I’m going, not to be blacklisted by Vladimir Putin. An incredible distinction, but, you know, there’s a reason why. It’s because in 2017, Sen. Lee was one of only two senators to vote against sanctioning Putin’s regime. Then in 2019, he went to Russia alone and discussed lifting sanctions with him. He has repeatedly voted against supporting Ukraine.”
McMullin blasted Lee for telling Trump to listen to Sidney Powell:
McMullin: You said the president should listen to legal quack Sidney Powell, please make time for her, let her in you told the white house chief of staff… You were there to stand up for our constitution but when the barbarians were at the gate, you were happy to let them in pic.twitter.com/P1xAhiZj73
— Acyn (@Acyn) October 18, 2022
McMullin accused Lee of trying to find a weakness in our system to overturn the election. McMullin told Lee that he betrayed the American republic, and “When the barbarians were at the gate, you were happy to let them in.”
Mike Lee claimed that there was no evidence that he supported the fake elector plot, but this is not true. Lee’s texts to Mark Meadows showed that he brought up the idea of a fake slate of electors at least three times.
McMullin is not a Democrat, but if he defeats Lee, he has said that he will not caucus with either party. Utah Democrats wisely declined to run a candidate in this race and endorsed McMullin.
The wildly popular in Utah, Sen. Mitt Romney has refused to endorse Lee, and the incumbent Republican is in a close race with McMullin.
The debate itself was brutal because for the first time in the 2022 cycle, an incumbent Republican who participated in the plot to overturn the election was held accountable.
If Mike Lee loses in Utah, Mitch McConnell can kiss his dream of becoming Majority Leader goodbye.
Mr. Easley is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association