A Vote for McMullin is a Vote that Could Make a Difference

   So, ye shan't vote for Evan McMullin because he has no chance? Too often, the argument that we are just throwing our vote away if we vote for a minor candidate is used against those candidates.

   Okay, vote for Clinton or Trump, if you think it'll make a difference. My guess is that of the millions of votes being cast, your vote is not going to decide this election, anyway. So, if you think your voting for Clinton or Trump is going to make any more difference than voting for McMullin, tell me how.

   Writing McMullin off as having no chance is a strategy for those who don't want him. And, if people buy into it, it becomes self-fulfilling prophecy. People hear he doesn't have a chance, and that therefore they should cast a vote that can make a difference, and they therefore don't vote for him.

   McMullin would have a chance, if everyone who doesn't like Hillary and Donald decided not to vote for Hillary or Donald. Would Utah voters vote for McMullin, if they supposed he had a chance? He stands with the majority of them on the issues. He would appoint someone to the Supreme Court they would like. If they thought he could win, there is a very good chance they would vote for him.

   And, that would be six Electoral College votes.

   If the sentiment that you shouldn't vote for him because he doesn't have a chance could also be dispelled in other states, McMullin might well pick up Electoral votes in those states, as well. There simply are a lot of people who want neither Clinton nor Trump. If enough of them jumped to campaign for him, if enough of them who are rich jumped to contribute to his campaign, who knows what might happen.

   It takes 270 Electoral College votes to win. Bless it that it be a close race. If it is a close election, yes, it it becomes possible -- if McMullin wins a few Electoral College votes -- that he could hold the deciding votes and throw the decision to the House of Representatives.

   McMullin is the former chief policy director for the House Republican Conference in the U.S. House of Representatives. He knows people there. He's worked with them. If Republicans hold onto the House, they would hold enough votes to decide who is the next president.

   A number of them don't want Trump. Would enough of them abandon Trump to vote for McMullin?  Look at how many Republicans have balked at supporting Trump. If they had an alternative, sitting right there looking at them in the eye, and he was a Republican -- if it were now all up to them to select McMullin over Trump . . .
   No, it is not inconceivable that it could happen. It probably would happen, in fact, if people just believed it could happen. If all the people who believe McMullin doesn't have a chance could be persuaded he does have a chance, McMullin would stand a very good chance of winning.
(Last two sentences added the morning of Sept. 3.)