Democrats, Clinton sending anti-Trump mailers to Utah voters


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SALT LAKE CITY — A new push in Utah by the Democratic National Committee and Hillary Clinton's campaign to turn voters against GOP nominee Donald Trump is the latest sign the state may be in play in this year's presidential race.

Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, who told the Deseret News and KSL editorial board Monday that he still isn't ready to back his party's pick for president, said an anti-Trump Democratic mailer sent to Utah voters could affect other Republican races on the ballot.

"… The fact that they're spending money here is cause for concern," he said. "The fact that they're spending money here perhaps means they've got some sort of data."

Lee said he continues to be unable to endorse Trump because despite talking to the billionaire businessman's campaign "for literally months" about federalism and the separation of powers, he has yet to see those issues embraced.

"I can't even consider doing that unless I have a really good handle on where (any candidate for federal office) stands on two issues that I consider watershed issues," Lee said. "I have not reached that point with Mr. Trump."

A close friend of Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, the winner of Utah's GOP presidential preference caucus in March, Lee said Trump is running out of time to make those constitutional issues part of his populist message.

But Lee also didn't have much to say about a recent entry in the presidential race, Utah native Evan McMullin, a former CIA officer running as a conservative alternative to Trump.

"We'll see what happens. We'll see what he does with his candidacy," Lee said.

On Monday, McMullin and his advisers met in Washington, D.C., with the chief strategist for Mitt Romney's 2012 presidential campaign, Stuart Stevens. Stevens told the Washington Post he's encouraging McMullin, who's "doing a great thing."

McMullin's campaign manager, Joel Searby, told KSL that Stevens "has been a real friend and cheerleader of this effort," and his support "sends a lot of important signals."

Romney, one of Trump's harshest critics, was part of the discussion at the meeting, Searby said. "Gov. Romney is one of the few elder statesmen in the country who has stood up to Donald Trump and his candidacy."

But Searby declined to say whether there are plans for McMullin and Romney to meet. Romney has said he won't vote for Trump or Clinton, and while he has talked with the Libertarian Party candidate, Gary Johnson, he has not endorsed in the race.

The anti-Trump mailer sent to Utahns over the weekend labeled the GOP nominee "unfit and unprepared" and quoted a "Kelly Spitzer" saying she could "never vote for someone who talks and acts like him. He would embarrass us around the world."

Neither the DNC nor the Clinton campaign would provide details about the cost or reach of the mailer, other than confirming it was the first sent to voters in Utah, a state that hasn't voted for a Democrat for president since 1964.

"Donald Trump's offensive rhetoric has made Utah more competitive than before, and given us an avenue to talk to new voters through many means. We are happy to take advantage of that opportunity," Marlon Marshall, Hillary for America director of state campaigns and political engagement, said in a statement.

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Utah GOP Chairman James Evans dismissed the mailer as "simply a 'head fake' for them. Spending money here, it's a PR value. That's all it is. They know they're not going to win Utah."

Evans said the mailer is an attempt to make Clinton, who is also not popular with Utah voters, appear to be a contender. "I'm not concerned in the least," the party boss said.

But Utah Democratic Party Chairman Peter Corroon said the mailer, which may have targeted unaffiliated voters, could just be the start of the national party's efforts here.

Corroon, who said the state party was not involved in the mailing, said he expects the Clinton campaign to follow up with polling to see if their efforts are having an impact on voters before spending more money.

"I think Utah is in play — or certainly has an opportunity to be in play this year," the Democratic Party leader said.

Jason Perry, head of the University of Utah's Hinckley Institute of Politics, said the mailer was "the political equivalent of name calling" and probably won't be effective in a state that shies away from negative campaigning.

"It mostly reinforces a lot of the observations many people have," Perry said.

Trump leads Clinton in Utah in recent polls, but Utahns have balked at some of his stands, particularly a proposed ban on Muslim immigrants.

Chris Karpowitz, co-director of BYU's Center for the Study of Elections and Democracy said negative advertising can provide a reason for voters to stray from their political parties in an election.

Karpowitz noted the mailer did not make a case for voting for Clinton, suggesting the purpose might be to encourage conservative voters frustrated with Trump to skip the election.

Such a move might not make Clinton the victor in Utah in November, but it could affect Republicans in close races, such as Rep. Mia Love, R-Utah, whose rematch against Democrat Doug Owens is seen nationally as a toss-up.

"Sophisticated presidential campaigns don't tend to spend money without thinking there's some potential effect," the political science professor said. "It's another sign that Donald Trump is underperforming."

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Lisa Riley Roche

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