As a registered Democrat, my past includes working with the next generation of local leaders in my party on causes like healthcare access, criminal justice reform, and environmental protection. I never expected to work for a Republican candidate as a result of the deep divide in our national politics. But last summer, my introduction to a prominent Utah Republican brought me to better understand the nuances of electoral politics.

Unfortunately, Becky Edwards, the Senate candidate I worked with as a policy researcher from August to December 2021, fell short in her bid to primary incumbent Sen. Mike Lee this cycle. Yet the fight to replace one of DC’s most divisive senators with a practical policy mind continues, and that is why I support independent Evan McMullin for Senate.

The Edwards campaign taught me how to approach issues with a fresh, factually-focused ideal amid the partisanship that is so deeply sown into our national politics. Spanning topics I held a strong commitment to, like criminal justice reform and foreign policy, to those I was more unfamiliar with, such as water rights and rural land use, Utahans have shown me a side of politics that is unfamiliar to most.

Acknowledging the dominance of the GOP in Utah, I have come to recognize the practicality of backing candidates like Becky and Evan over my preferred party. The state’s unique politics demonstrate a commitment to compassion and equality above all else. This can be no better evidenced than by the fact all four Utah representatives to Congress — including outspoken conservatives like Burgess Owens — voted to codify the right to same-sex marriage.

Electing Evan McMullin would send yet another sensible voice to Washington in a time where self-righteousness and emotionally driven decision-making becomes all too common. To me, a young adult born in 2002, Evan represents the bipartisan array of American leaders that I looked up to as a kid. And while I expect to often disagree with his positions and votes, he is someone we can trust to uphold the decency that we all want from our leaders.

Sam Raus

Haddonfield, New Jersey

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