title:  #NeverTrump GOP Intelligence Expert Launching Independent Bid To Stop Trump
text: The #NeverTrump faction of the GOP has longed for an Independent conservative to run for the presidency in a last ditch effort to make sure that Donald Trump s nightmare of a presidential campaign does not become a nightmarish reality in the event he gets elected to a job he is dangerously unqualified to perform. Well, they are getting their wish.Evan McMullin is a longtime conservative. He is also firmly #NeverTrump. Like Trump, the man has never been elected to any public office whatsoever; however, he is also a seasoned member of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). McMullin currently serves as Chief Policy Director of the House Republican conference, and is certainly much more qualified to do the job of president than Trump could ever dream of being. To that end, sources say that McMullin is going to enter the presidential race with one goal in mind: stopping Donald Trump.According to Buzzfeed, this could turn out to be a very serious bid, as top GOP operatives who refuse to back Trump and openly criticize him, such as Rick Wilson, would firmly back McMullin s attempts to derail Trump s path to the White House. McMullin might have a tough run, though, because he is pretty much invisible to be such an important inside player in GOP politics. His Twitter account has very few followers compared to most politicians and other public figures, and he also has no verification. However, that has not stopped him from sharply slamming Trump to what following he does have. Here is one such tweet:Authoritarians like @realDonaldTrump use promises of law & order to justify infringing on civil rights as they consolidate control by force.  Evan McMullin (@Evan_McMullin) July 22, 2016Also, regarding Trump s increasingly divisive and bigoted statements against Muslims, McMullin posted to his Facebook what all sane, educated people already know: Trump s rhetoric makes us less safe, not more safe with regards to radicalized terrorists: As Donald Trump continues attacking Muslims and as a former CIA officer, I d like all Americans to know the truth: American and other Muslims have played a central role in virtually every counterterrorism win we ve had since 9/11. They are an indispensable asset in this fight. Attacking them as a group makes America weaker, not stronger. While McMullin s battle will be uphill, there are growing mutterings that he would have serious support. However, at this point, he will likely not be able to be on the ballot in all 50 states at this late date, and he will likely face campaigning and money issues. Also, we all know the fate of third party bids at the national level.Now, make no mistake, liberals: This guy is not our dream come true. He is a true blue right winger who would still usher in social policies that would prove nightmarish for many groups, including women and LGBTQ people. He is a Mormon, and, like Mitt Romney, has strong support in Utah, where Trump is heartily disliked. Our best hope is that McMullin splits the GOP even further than Trump has, thus handing the election to Democrats.The only other option would be for the GOP to dump Trump in favor of McMullin, which seems highly unlikely at this time.Featured image via Evan McMullin Twitter