Though some suggest the Mormon Mafia was responsible for his rise to power, Evan McMullin nevertheless has made an amazing showing so far in Utah, managing to best both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton in one poll.
That momentum put him on Trump’s radar at last. On Saturday, the GOP nominee wrote off McMullin as “a puppet of a loser” whom no one’s heard of.
You saw this coming. Trump and Pence finally go after @Evan_McMullin. Trump calls him @BillKristol's puppet. pic.twitter.com/GKExwfDXZK
— Sopan Deb (@SopanDeb) October 30, 2016
I believe this is the first time Trump has said anything about @Evan_McMullin. Chose to ignore him — until he couldn't.
— McKay Coppins (@mckaycoppins) October 30, 2016
The funniest thing about Trump's attack here is his claim that @Evan_McMullin is "going from coffee shop to coffee shop" to win Utah.
— McKay Coppins (@mckaycoppins) October 30, 2016
@Joel_Searby @realDonaldTrump @Evan_McMullin He's just jealous of your effective coffee shop campaign…in Utah
— Chase (@quietdeep) October 30, 2016
Word is the Mormon Mafia drove the caffeinated beverage racket almost clean out of the state, but residents are anything but low energy when it comes to the election.
For a puppet, it turns out McMullin can punch back pretty hard.
.@realDonaldTrump, Yes you’ve never heard of me because while you were harassing women at beauty pageants, I was fighting terrorists abroad. https://t.co/hNDTWn3HPN
— Evan McMullin (@Evan_McMullin) October 30, 2016
That tweet racked up more than 6,000 likes in under an hour, so someone, somewhere must know who he is.
@TheRickWilson Congrats to @Evan_McMullin . You know you've made an impact when Trump starts insulting you.
— Red Tanager (@Red_Tanager) October 30, 2016