https://www.evanmcmullin.com/youll_never_win
Tuesday, September 6, 2016

You'll NEVER win

My nine-year-old son sometimes says, when asked to do something resembling a chore which usually requires a whopping 5 minutes of his precious time, “But then I’ll NEVER get to play!” I expect this from a nine-year-old. They lack the perspective on life to understand why sometimes we do things in the short-term that have good outcomes in the long term.

But you know what surprises me? Mature, decent, thinking Americans who say the same thing about this presidential election. Things like, “A vote for anyone other than Trump is a vote for Hillary.” Or better yet, “I don’t want to waste my vote.” Or my personal favorite, “it doesn’t even matter anymore.”

These are the modern-day political equivalent of my son’s irrational thinking. Mature adults accepting a false premise, lacking perspective and failing to see the long-term impact of their short-term thinking. It has to stop.

We simply do not have to accept the false choice we’re being told we have. We can cast our vote in good conscience now AND ensure a long-term future for our country beyond the divisive politics we are currently experiencing. A vote for Evan McMullin is neither wasted, nor foolish. It is a principled stand against all the other candidates and more importantly, FOR a future we can be proud of.

But why are we really doing this and what’s the end game? I get this question a lot. Ten times a day or more. I’m a pro at answering it. So here you go:

First, you have to get the logistical hurdles out of the way. Despite much misinformation to the contrary (thank you reporters of America) there are actually at least 5 ways Evan McMullin can ensure voters across the country can cast their vote for him. We are actively pursuing all five and have moved the ball forward in every single one, including truly historic efforts to get on the ballot which “all the experts” said we couldn’t do. Here they are:

1) Conventional petition signature gathering or filing
These petition-gathering operations have been amazingly successful given the time constraints. Both volunteer and paid team members are working on more as I write this. Through these means, we’re already on the ballot in:

• Utah
• Colorado
• Iowa
• Idaho
• Virginia
• Wyoming
• Louisiana

2) Minor parties with presidential ballot lines
There are parties in a number of states who can nominate Evan McMullin for President; we are in contact with such parties and are aggressively pursuing more. States we’ve already secured include:

• Minnesota
• Arkansas
• South Carolina

3) A legal challenge in states whose deadlines have passed
We will challenge the deadlines and/or signature requirements on constitutional grounds and sue to regain access in those states. It’s time to challenge these discriminatory laws that prevent competition in the American political landscape. Many of America's leading legal thinkers agree. A recent op-ed by legal scholars Larry Lessig and Randy Barnett outlines the importance of this legal challenge.
http://time.com/4436805/lawrence-lessig-randy-barnett/

4) Write-ins
Write in candidacies, while challenging, are a viable option. In normal circumstances one might dismiss this. But a few key points need to be made here.

• First, it’s been done successfully before on a statewide basis in big races like presidential primaries and US Senate races. (just google it)
• Second, it’s not complicated. We actually have faith in the American people’s ability to write. And given their other choices, we like our chances. 

We will pursue this option with an aggressive campaign to educate and motivate voters in necessary states to write-in Evan McMullin for President.

5) The collapse of Donald Trump
The complete collapse of Donald Trump could force the Republican Party either in specific states or in its entirety to replace him through legal means as their candidate. At that time, their legal team will have to sort that out and a strong McMullin candidacy would be a logical choice.

So what’s the end game?
Ok, fine, you say. But what are you ACTUALLY trying to accomplish? You can’t possibly think you’re going to win, right? Actually yes, its possible. But we’re not banking our entire existence on it. There are several very important goals. Here they are:

1) Win
The goal is to prevent either major-party candidate from reaching 270 electoral votes and send the election to the House of Representatives. In order to achieve this, we must win some electoral votes and show the country, and the House, that there is a desire for a compromise candidate. Once in the house, against the backdrop of Trump and Clinton’s deeply divisive positions and after a strong electoral college showing, we believe Evan’s unifying message can prevail.

2) Win electoral votes
It’s been 48 years since anyone other than the major party candidates won a state’s electoral votes. It will be a signal that a new generation of American leadership has come — and it matters — a lot. Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, Colorado, Minnesota and many more are poised for this. And guess what? We’re already on the ballot in all those states.

3) Build for the future
American politics cannot and will not continue on this path. That much is clear. The networks and assets built over the next 3 months will be positioned to lead what’s next. Anyone who has been a part of it will be positioned for influencing the future of American politics in ways seldom seen in modern times. This is already happening as tens of thousands of people are joining us — the foundation is already laid for the new movement.

4) Standing up for what is right
We believe that history will demand an accounting of those with voices and resources — asking who stood up and who stood on the sidelines in this historic election.

So let’s stop acting like nine-year-olds. Take just five minutes and step back from the situation and look through a different lens. Ask yourself if, in ten years, you will be glad you cast your vote for Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, Gary Johnson or Jill Stein. Ask yourself if you’ll be proud of that stand you took. Proud to talk to your kids and grandkids about it. If you will be, then we’re probably done here. Not much else I can say to you. But if you think, just for a minute, that your vote might be an affirmation and a stand, not simply a resigned civic duty, then I urge you to vote for Evan McMullin — he’s the right choice — and it’s never too late to do the right thing.