Evan McMullin takes the lead in latest Utah presidential poll

[malchickiwick]

Source: The Salt Lake Tribune

The Emerson College poll, released Wednesday, found McMullin with 31 percent, followed by Republican Donald Trump at 27 percent and Democrat Hillary Clinton at 24 percent.

The last 20 polls found Trump ahead or in a statistical tie, and in this poll McMullin's results are at the edge of the 3.9 percent margin of error.

-snip-

Emerson College found that McMullin was strongest among younger voters, claiming 36 percent among those 18 to 34, while Trump and Clinton received 22 percent each. Trump beats McMullin, 35 percent to 24 percent among those who are 55 and older.



Read more: http://www.sltrib.com/news/4485415-155/evan-mcmullin-takes-the-lead-in

---

Polls from the Beehive State have been a bit all over the place lately, but the trend is definitely toward a statistical three-way tie. Just the fact that Utah -- a state where quite often there is not even a Democratic candidate for state leg. on the ballot in many districts -- is in play for Hillary

[Proud Liberal Dem]

1. So.......

McMullin may win Utah?

[jberryhill]

2. Yep, taking with him Utah's electoral votes

....which should be "safe R".

[Proud Liberal Dem]

7. Isn't he Republican?

Not that Utah matters at all. It would be gratifying to see Trump lose it at least........

[jberryhill]

8. It puts Trump further in the hole

[NobodyHere]

15. More of a leap sideways really

Now if Clinton could actually win the state...

[yardwork]

20. Not a leap sideways. It's one less state for Trump.

In order to win, a candidate must win 270 Electoral College votes. If you add up all the states that Trump will definitely win (like Mississippi), he is far short. If he loses Utah, he's even further behind.

Hillary has many combinations of possible ways to win without Utah.

[NobodyHere]

21. It doesn't matter if Utah goes to Trump or McMullin

All that matters is that Hillary reaches 270.

If both candidates fail to reach that number then the house will select Trump anyways.

[vdogg]

3. I'm okay with this.

Still gets Trump further away from 270.

[karynnj]

13. True, but it can't really help Hillary except in the margin

Of victory if he wins Utah and she wins.

The only scenario where he causes Trump not to get 270 is one where he gets to 270 with Utah and is short without it. However, that means that no one gets 270. This throws the race to Congress.

[Massacure]

17. One thing to note about the scenario where no one gets 270 votes

If no candidate gets 270 votes, the election for president doesn't go to the full House of Representatives. Rather, each state's delegation in The House gets one vote. So the president is elected by winning 26 of 50 votes, and not 218 of 435.

[Nye Bevan]

18. If Trump can't win in Utah,

there is no way the election goes to the House. Trump losing Utah would be symptomatic of an overwhelming victory for Hillary. And an incredible embarrassment for him.

[karynnj]

19. I agree and the further behind he is the better nt

[malchickiwick]

4. Which would be a disaster for the GOP...

of epic proportion.

And the poll also suggests a trend that puts the state of Utah in play for Hillary, meaning that snow is starting to fall down in hell.

[bmstee01]

6. Yes! Go Mcmullin... In Utah only!

[BumRushDaShow]

10. McMullin has been getting a good chunk of support in Alaska too. nt

[geek tragedy]

9. Hats off to the Mormons and people of Utah for actually showing some dedication

to principle.

They're leading the way to fight for what's left of their party's soul.

Meanwhile, is there a bigger group of phonies than white Christian evangelicals?

[malachi]

11. Great. He can be president of Utah.

[Jeff Murdoch]

16. Probably the next governor.

[maxsolomon]

23. No far off from the Mormon ideal

The nation of Deseret.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_of_Deseret

[roamer65]

12. This is an utter disaster for GOP.

It means solid red states like UT, TX and others are in play.

This election really has shades of 1912 to it.

[helpisontheway]

14. If Hillary does not win then I want McMullen to win. Keeps

Trump further away from 270. 😀

[maxsolomon]

22. Evan McMullen, Egg McMuffin

Momos really don't like con men.

Unless they sell Herbalife.