Why Do Utah Voters Hate Trump (And Kind of Like Gary Johnson)?

A new poll shows Hillary Clinton even with Trump in Utah, with third-party choices on the rise. Reason TV talked to Utah voters to figure out what's going on.

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Why Do Utah Voters Hate Trump (And Kind of Like Gary Johnson)?

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A new poll out of Utah shows Republican Party presidential nominee Donald Trump tied with Democrat Hillary Clinton at 26 percent each, with independent candidate Evan McMullin a close third at 22 percent and Libertarian Gary Johnson pulling 14 percent of the vote.

Why does Utah, often one of the the most reliably Republican states in the union, dislike Donald Trump so much? And are there possible inroads for libertarians in the heavily religious, socially conservative state? Reason TV asked these questions of several former Republican voters in Utah, many of whom drew surprising connections between the teachings of the Latter Day Saints church and the libertarian philosophy.

Watch the video above to find out what they had to say.

Produced by Zach Weissmueller. Camera by Alex Manning and Zach Weissmueller. Music by Nick Jaina.

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Comments

[Hyperion]

Utah has received more attention today than it has since it was admitted to the union in 1896. Thanks, Trump!

/The Utahians

[The Last American Hero]

They had a Winter Olympics a few years back. One or two people tuned in to watch.

[EllieOwen]

My co-worker's step-sister makes $97 hourly on the laptop . She has been out of work for six months but last month her paycheck was $14100 just working on the laptop for a few hours. Go this website and click to tech tab to start your work... http://tinyurl.com/hhwe4zl

[Idle Hands]

And are there possible inroads for libertarians in the heavily religious, socially conservative state?

We are still talking about the state that the only place to get beer is in state run liqueur stores, right? I'm guessing probably not.

[The Fusionist]

Look, Utah is one of Johnson's highest-polling states.

Imagine how he'd do if he *supported* religious freedom and the right to life!

[Homple]

What we're seeing is Mitt Romney's Revenge, not the Libertarian Moment

[darius404]

Is that like Montezuma's Revenge? Political diarrhea?

[Glide]

Yes, it's Montezuma's Revenge except way stiffer and whiter.

[Lt. Viktor Burakov]

....both are from Mexico.

[Isaac Bartram]

You can buy beer in grocery stores in UT. It's just lower alcohol, 3.2% IIANM.

If you want to buy any beer that won't compromise with it's recipe you have to go to the state store.

[Idle Hands]

3.2% isn't beer as far as I'm concerned, but yes I was aware of that fact. Snopes and Politifact are probably a already fact checking my statement as whopper as we speak.

[Hyperion]

As far as my experience goes, you are correct. You can drink as much of that stuff as you want and it's like drinking soda, you are not getting a buzz. I think it's closer to 2% alcohol.

[Chipper Morning Wood]

Is coffee legal in Utah?

[Hyperion]

Only as used in religious ceremonies.

[Chipper Morning Wood]

I know that the Mormon sacrament is ice cream. Which religion uses coffee? Because I am so converting.

[The Fusionist]

(And when the lady talked about primary allegiance to the founding documents, I thought, that sounds familiar, then she said she was supporting Castle - Reason TV even put up an image of his campaign page!)

[A Cynic's Guide to Zen]

Never been to the Utah.

What is there to do? I hear tale of an alcohol free wasteland, with no sex shoppes or other forms of degeneracy for miles around...

[The Fusionist]

I've never been, either, but on its combined ranking of social and economic freedoms, Cato ranks Utah as #20 (with #1 - New Hampshire - being best).

[Playa Manhattan.]

Do you like Ski Resorts?

[A Cynic's Guide to Zen]

Jeez. So it's just a religious version of Aspen?

[Hyperion]

There's a salty lake I hear. And some Mormons, and... Ok, I can't think of anything else.

[Jerry on the sea]

They do have a national park or two. Of course no serious libertarian would ever set foot in such a government decreed conservation area.

[Hyperion]

Especially not if there's any roads leading up to them.

[Jerry on the sea]

And they have these absurd speed limits as well. 80 mph. The horror!

[Hyperion]

At least at one time, Montana didn't have any speed limit on the open road. Still took you forever to get anywhere. Filling up your gas tank between trading posts out there is a survival skill. If you run out, the buzzards will probably be circling you before anyone comes along.

[Doctor Whom]

Brine shrimp. Imagine trillions of sea monkeys in one place.

[Hyperion]

Oh, so Utah is the home of the Brine Shrimp tycoon from the 60s.

[Chipper Morning Wood]

"Sea monkey" is a deragatory term for Mormons.

[Eric]

I was at a conference in Salt Lake City in April. There was a liquor store a couple of blocks from my hotel. They also had a microbrewery (or two) right down the street. All of the places downtown served alcohol.

Not sure about the rest of the state, but SLC seemed like anywhere else.

[LynchPin1477]

I just did a road trip to all of the southern Utah parks. It was an amazing desert playground. Zion was my favorite but the slot canyons in Grand Staircase were equally cool. Highly recommended.

[Chipper Morning Wood]

Utah is one of the most beautiful, if not the most beautiful, states in the Union. The scenery is simply gorgeous, between Zion, Bryce, Canyonlands, and Arches, among others. And yes, the skiing is world class. And if you love pawn shops, you will be in heaven.

[Mongo]

I agree.

I go to the Wasatch Front every summer (try to, anyway, as I missed the last two summers).

[Free Society]

Why Do Utah Voters Hate Trump (And Kind of Like Gary Johnson)?

Johnson's pussy has a better grip.

[Chipper Morning Wood]

I hear he can pick up oranges.

[Princess Trigger]

Answer: Because they're not degenerate animals (like the rest of the world).

Serious answer (from a former utanite) - they really hate crass, impolite people. Even the gentiles, catamites, liberals and democrats get faint at rudeness.

[A Cynic's Guide to Zen]

Elder Pryce: "Must maintain the Good Stock. Must test blood for the Thing that Should Not Be."

I can get down with a utanite zeitgeist like that. In all things, reservedness, in other words?

[Eric]

Utah is a bit different than other Republican strongholds:

1. Unlike most other social conservatives, Mormons tend to actually have principles. They are more likely to actually practice what they preach.
2. Mormons are not that far removed from some pretty bad persecution, and many actually understand what it can feel to be treated like a minority. Trump's appeals to jingoism won't go far there.
3. Like the rest of the west, their Republicanism is more of a libertarian "leave me alone" flavor, than the big government, authoritarian variety found in the eastern part of the U.S.
4. Utah is a relatively prosperous state. The angry white male isn't as angry since he probably has a job, community, family, etc.

You mix these things together, and it's understandable why Trump isn't doing as well there as expected.

[Hyperion]

"1. Unlike most other social conservatives, Mormons tend to actually have principles. They are more likely to actually practice what they preach."

That's actually scary.

[tarran]

Yeah... we need to get a bunch of methodists and baptists to move out there and interbreed with the natives.

[Hyperion]

If that doesn't work, just throw in some Catholics. That will do the job for sure.

[tarran]

I like the cut of your jib, sir!

When I rise to power, the eugenics czar job is yours!

[Hyperion]

Ah fuck, man, I wanted to be czar of mulching devices.

[tarran]

No worries! It happens to be open.

It pays less, and you oversee a much smaller staff and budget.

You do however get to set your own hours and the goals used to judge you during your annual review will be very subjective and not contaminated by objectively measurable metrics.

[Chipper Morning Wood]

I volunteer Eddie.

[Chipper Morning Wood]

Most Mormons do mission work in a third world country. So they are actually exposed to other cultures , unlike many Americans, and see brown folk as people. They tend to be more pro immigration than the average conservative.

[Hyperion]

I guess after that excellent article by C.J. Ciaramella earlier, it's all down hill from here.

[You Sound Like a Prog (MJG)]

Cuz theys a buncha betas.

[Cynical Asshole]

Now for the most important question: the blonde chick, Melissa Butler: would?

[MiloMinderbinder]

First off the idea that baseball games take more than 3 hours to play (Extra Innings excepted) is an abomination.

Secomd this isn't the first time this has come up. A few years (maybe 2012) the Nats wanted the trains running after late playoff games. I believe at that time Metro's answer was: "If you want the trains to run, you can pay us to run them."

[IMissLiberty]

The only reason I don't worry about Gary Johnson's position on wedding cakes, is because he's a chess player, and it's just a matter of showing him how he hasn't thought it through. I'm confident people are challenging him on this every chance they get, and he will change his mind. Even Ron Paul changed his mind on the death penalty and "don't ask, don't tell." That's the advantage to having a well-balanced, rational person as president. Besides, it hardly compares to how wrong the other candidates are and they aren't rational at all!

[Johnimo]

It goes even deeper than these interviewees would indicate. I think, especially in the mountain west, we really don't like rude, big bullies, who try to throw their weight around because of their wealth. Likewise, chronic liars are particularly loathed. Trump and Clinton are simply two too unlikable.

[Grant]

For the record: I'm a devout Christian. I've studied the Bible. I've studied the Book of Mormon. I've studied geology and archeology. Archeology supports the Bible - not the Book of Mormon. I'm a libertarian because Christ - i.e, the carpenter's son in the NT was a libertarian.
I guess I like Gary Johnson because he doesn't act like a Pharisee - the big government control zealots that crucified Jesus - or the Republican "evangelicals" or the "religious right."
IMHO.

[JagerIV]

Thanks for sharing. Its always interesting to me how people come to liberarianism. I've had to reconize that its not automatic (it felt like it to me) which makes in interesting how people come to a philosophy which is really hard and unatural for a lot of people.

[Grant]

For the record: I'm a devout Christian. I've studied the Bible. I've studied the Book of Mormon. I've studied geology and archeology. Archeology supports the Bible - not the Book of Mormon. I'm a libertarian because Christ - i.e, the carpenter's son in the NT was a libertarian.
I guess I like Gary Johnson because he doesn't act like a Pharisee - the big government control zealots that crucified Jesus - or the Republican "evangelicals" or the "religious right."
IMHO.

[Grant]

For the record: I'm a devout Christian. I've studied the Bible. I've studied the Book of Mormon. I've studied geology and archeology. Archeology supports the Bible - not the Book of Mormon. I'm a libertarian because Christ - i.e, the carpenter's son in the NT was a libertarian.
I guess I like Gary Johnson because he doesn't act like a Pharisee - the big government control zealots that crucified Jesus - or the Republican "evangelicals" or the "religious right."
IMHO.

[JagerIV]

Squirrels also seem to like what you say.

[JeremyR]

He's in 4th place so they kinda like him?

If anything, this shows that Johnson should drop out. If he throws his support behind McMullin, then we might actually see a 3rd party win a state.

If he's serious about breaking the monopoly the two parties have, he should try to be unite behind a 3rd party that could actually win something for once.

[ammythomas58]

Bryce . even though Samuel `s story is unbelievable... on tuesday I bought a great Peugeot 205 GTi after making $4790 this - four weeks past an would you believe $10k last month . it's definitly the most-comfortable work Ive ever done . I actually started 4 months ago and right away startad earning more than $85 p/h . find more info

................ http://www.BuzzNews10.com

[zufaweg555]

what Phyllis answered I'm startled that a single mom can get paid $8363 in 4 weeks on the computer
see more at----------->>> http://tinyurl.com/Usatoday01

[skunkman]

Why Do Utah Voters Hate Trump (And Kind of Like Gary Johnson)? Weed

[ammythomas30]

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[ammythomas30]

until I looked at the paycheck saying $4730 , I did not believe that...my... brother woz like actualy bringing in money part time from there computar. . there friend brother started doing this for less than 7 months and resently paid for the morgage on there home and bought a new Cadillac .......

........ http://www.jobprofit9.com

[Cain44]

Peyton . even though Billy `s report is cool... on monday I got a gorgeous Maserati after I been earnin $8985 thiss month and even more than ten k lass month . it's certainly the easiest work Ive ever had . I started this 9-months ago and practically straight away started bringin home at least $78 per-hr . look at this now

................ http://www.jobhub44.com

[Rose Chandler]

until I looked at the paycheck saying $4730 , I did not believe that...my... brother woz like actualy bringing in money part time from there computar. . there friend brother started doing this for less than 7 months and resently paid for the morgage on there home and bought a new Cadillac .......

.................. http://www.jobprofit9.com

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