Evan McMullin is a former Central Intelligence Agency officer and failed 2016 presidential candidate. Alongside former vice presidential candidate Mindy Finn, McMullin is CEO and co-founder of Stand Up Republic (SUR), an advocacy group that opposes the Trump administration and has received funding from the center-left group Democracy Fund. ¹

Association with Left-Wing Groups

McMullin and Finn are advisers to the Protect Democracy Project and United to Protect Democracy, two left-of-center litigation groups created to oppose the policies of the Trump administration. ²

In May 2019, it was reported by the Washington Free Beacon that McMullin had joined the board of directors for Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), a far-left agitation group associated with Clinton operative David Brock. ³ A June 11, 2019 press release by CREW confirmed the association. ⁴ McMullin said of his membership:

Our democracy is facing unprecedented threats from foreign adversaries and our own unscrupulous leaders, especially including our president. Preserving our ethical standards and demanding accountability for political corruption are essential to liberty and justice in America. I’m proud to join CREW’s board to further this bipartisan cause.

Both Mindy Finn and McMullin are advisory board members for the nominally libertarian Niskanen Center, which advocates for left-wing policies. ⁵

Political Career

Midterm Elections

During the 2022 midterm elections, McMullin ran for the Utah Senate seat as an Independent but lost to Republican candidate mike Lee, with Lee taking 55% of the vote and McMullin reciving 41% of the vote. ⁶

1. Joe Goldman. “A $100 Million Commitment to Healthy Democracy​.” June 26, 2018. Accessed March 6, 2019. https://www.democracyfund.org/blog/entry/a-100-million-commitment-to-healthy-democracy
2. “Meet the Team.” Protect Democracy Project. March 7, 2019. https://protectdemocracy.org/meet-the-team/; also available here: https://www.influencewatch.org/app/uploads/2019/03/United-to-Protect-Democracy-Team-Board-Advisers-03.07.2019.pdf
3. Tweet: Lachlan Markay. June 11, 2019. https://twitter.com/lachlan/status/1138455806012272640
4. Press Release. “McCaskill, McMullin and Nolan Join CREW Board.” Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. June 11, 2019. Accessed June 18, 2019. Original URL: https://www.citizensforethics.org/press-release/mccaskill-mcmullin-nolan-crew-board/. Archived here: https://www.influencewatch.org/app/uploads/2019/06/McCaskill-McMullin-Nolan-Join-CREW-Board.-CREW.-06.11.2019.pdf
5. “Board of Directors/Advisory Board.” Niskanen Center. Accessed June 18, 2019. Original URL: https://niskanencenter.org/about/. Archived here: https://www.influencewatch.org/app/uploads/2019/06/Niskanen-Center-Board-Advisor-Board.-06.2019.pdf
6. Romboy, Dennis, and Katie McKellar. “Sen. Mike Lee Wins One of the Most Competitive Senate Races Utah Has Seen in Decades.” Deseret News. Deseret News, November 9, 2022. https://www.deseret.com/utah/2022/11/8/23441781/election-results-mike-lee-evan-mcmullin-senate.