November 8, 2022, will be special for a lot of reasons in Utah. Not only will Utahns be electing one member to represent the jurisdiction in the U.S. Senate on that day, but it’ll also officially mark the first time that the Democratic Party won’t be fielding a nominee to run for Senate. In what was arguably a controversial move, the Democratic Party in the state opted to drop their would-be candidate, Kael Weston and throw their weight behind Evan McMullen. This means that the senate race would be decided between Incumbent Republican Senator Mike Lee and Evan McMullen, an independent.

McMullen is a former Central Intelligence Agency officer and investment banker. He entered the political limelight in 2016 when his vehement opposition to the Republican Party’s nomination of Donald Trump for president compelled him to run for the office independently as well. In the coming election, McMullen has received the backing of not just the Democrats in the state but also members of the centrist United Utah Party as well. If elected, McMullen has promised to work free of caucuses in the senate. His priorities in office include strengthening the forces of democracy and repelling extremists, reducing health care costs, lowering reckless spending, and supporting environmental protection policies.

Mike Lee is a former lawyer and clerk. He entered the U.S. Senate in 2011, defeating the then incumbent three-term Republican senator, Bob Bennett in the party’s primaries to do so. He successfully sought and won his re-election bid in 2016. During his decade-long stay in the U.S. Senate, Lee has been assigned to 16 different committees and subcommittees. Should he be re-elected to office, he has pledged to continue to defend the second amendment, improve national security, bolster and protect the natural resources of the state, attend to employment creation and enhance health care infrastructure for Utahns.

With a first-of-its-kind election drawing ever closer, residents of the state are wondering, who would make a better representative to the Senate from Utah, Independent Evan McMullen or Republican Mike Lee?