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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Anti-Trump conservative to run for president – campaign live | Anti-Trump conservative to run for president – campaign live |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 3.19pm BST | |
| 15:19 | |
| McMullin launches 2016 campaign website and social media | |
| Former CIA agent Evan McMullin updated his Twitter profile and launched a campaign site, as part of his morning announcement that he is running for president. | |
| His Twitter bio now reads: | |
| Former CIA operative, businessman, House Chief Policy Director. Standing up to run for president because it’s never too late to do the right thing. | |
| After having less than 1,000 followers on Twitter this morning, McMullin now has over 7,700 followers (large portion of which are probably the country’s political reporters, who’d never heard of him until today). | |
| On his website, evanmcmullin.com, people can sign up to his campaign: | |
| “It’s never too late to do the right thing. And if we work together, there’s nothing we can’t achieve,” it reads. | |
| It says the site has been “PAID FOR BY MCMULLIN FOR PRESIDENT, INC.” | |
| He’s also launched brand new Facebook and Instagram accounts, although neither have any content posted yet and both have less than 200 followers. | |
| 3.12pm BST | |
| 15:12 | |
| Evan McMullin confirms he is running for president | |
| Sabrina Siddiqui | |
| Evan McMullin will launch a third-party bid for president as a conservative alternative to Donald Trump. | |
| McMullin, who until recently was employed as the chief policy director of the House Republican Conference, told ABC News there was still time to mount a campaign that could prove to be a spoiler in certain red states where Trump has lost ground in recent polls.“In a year where Americans have lost faith in the candidates of both major parties, it’s time for a generation of new leadership to step up,” he said in a statement. “It’s never too late to do the right thing, and America deserves much better than either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton can offer us.” “I humbly offer myself as a leader who can give millions of disaffected Americans a conservative choice for President.”McMullin’s candidacy is being pushed by backers of the Never Trump movement, which formed before the former reality TV star wrapped up the Republican nomination but has struggled until now to vet an alternative candidate. | |
| Better for America, the group formed by Never Trump proponents, indicated that some influential Republicans would come out in support of McMullin following his announcement. He is expected to file paperwork on Monday afternoon, but would nonetheless face hurdles getting on the ballot in states where the deadline has already passed. | |
| Updated | |
| at 3.16pm BST | |
| 2.40pm BST | 2.40pm BST |
| 14:40 | 14:40 |
| A source with knowledge of the plans has confirmed to the Guardian that Evan McMullin is planning to run. | A source with knowledge of the plans has confirmed to the Guardian that Evan McMullin is planning to run. |
| “The House Republican Conference has zero knowledge of his intentions,” said House GOP spokesperson Nate Hodson, adding that McMullin is no longer employed with them. | “The House Republican Conference has zero knowledge of his intentions,” said House GOP spokesperson Nate Hodson, adding that McMullin is no longer employed with them. |
| 2.05pm BST | 2.05pm BST |
| 14:05 | 14:05 |
| Good morning and welcome to the Guardian’s rolling coverage of the 2016 campaign. | Good morning and welcome to the Guardian’s rolling coverage of the 2016 campaign. |
| Is a little-known Republican policy director – and former CIA agent – about to throw his hat in the presidential ring? | Is a little-known Republican policy director – and former CIA agent – about to throw his hat in the presidential ring? |
| MSNBC’s Morning Joe host Joe Scarborough had the scoop this morning that Evan McMullin, a former Goldman Sachs employee, is planning to announce himself as an independent conservative presidential candidate as a specific contrast to Donald Trump. | MSNBC’s Morning Joe host Joe Scarborough had the scoop this morning that Evan McMullin, a former Goldman Sachs employee, is planning to announce himself as an independent conservative presidential candidate as a specific contrast to Donald Trump. |
| Like Trump, McMullin has an MBA from Wharton business school, but he is much more aligned with the policies and beliefs of the Republican party, and is currently working as the chief policy director of the House Republican conference. He is 40 years old, unmarried and has never previously run for office. His candidacy is reportedly being pushed by the Never Trump supporters in the party. | Like Trump, McMullin has an MBA from Wharton business school, but he is much more aligned with the policies and beliefs of the Republican party, and is currently working as the chief policy director of the House Republican conference. He is 40 years old, unmarried and has never previously run for office. His candidacy is reportedly being pushed by the Never Trump supporters in the party. |
| Last March he gave a Ted Talk at London Business School: | Last March he gave a Ted Talk at London Business School: |
| BuzzFeed is also reporting that McMullin is planning to run, pointing out that he has been critical of Trump in the past and has called the Republican candidate an “authoritarian”. | BuzzFeed is also reporting that McMullin is planning to run, pointing out that he has been critical of Trump in the past and has called the Republican candidate an “authoritarian”. |
| Authoritarians like @realDonaldTrump use promises of law & order to justify infringing on civil rights as they consolidate control by force. | Authoritarians like @realDonaldTrump use promises of law & order to justify infringing on civil rights as they consolidate control by force. |
| McMullin has also spoken publicly about the important role Muslim Americans have played in counter-terrorism since 9/11. | McMullin has also spoken publicly about the important role Muslim Americans have played in counter-terrorism since 9/11. |
| Neither Trump nor Hillary Clinton have addressed the rumors this morning. | Neither Trump nor Hillary Clinton have addressed the rumors this morning. |
| Elsewhere on Monday: | Elsewhere on Monday: |
| We’ll have live coverage of all this and more throughout the day. | We’ll have live coverage of all this and more throughout the day. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 2.12pm BST | at 2.12pm BST |