With the general election coming up next week, two candidates — one for governor and one for president — visited Tooele County this week.
On Tuesday evening, Gov. Gary Herbert stopped for dinner in Grantsville and independent candidate for president, Evan McMullin, held a town hall meeting Wednesday in Tooele.
Herbert answered questions, shook hands and posed for pictures in between bites of cheeseburger and fries at Grantsville’s American Burgers on Tuesday evening.
Around 60 people shared time with the governor while he was in Grantsville.
Herbert has been stopping at hamburger joints across the state and meeting with local people as part of his re-election campaign, according to Marty Carpenter, Herbert’s campaign manager.
The mealtime gathering allows Herbert to meet and talk with people in an informal setting. The dinner format reaches more people than a traditional town hall meeting, according to Carpenter.
Some people were caught off guard when they found themselves eating dinner with the governor.
“My wife and I just came in to get a bite to eat,” said Byron Anderson, former mayor of Grantsville. “We were surprised when we walked in and saw the governor.”
Others had heard the governor was coming to Grantsville either on social media or by word of mouth.
“I knew the governor would be here,” said Tricia Barson of Grantsville. “I brought my children so they could meet the governor and get their picture taken with him.”
While Herbert was eating his hamburger, Grantsville Mayor Brent Marshall lobbied him for state funds to support the restoration of the crumbling Donner-Reed Museum.
After spending nearly two hours in Grantsville, Herbert and his campaign staff headed for home.
“I’ve had a lot of hamburgers all over Utah,” Herbert said. “The American Burger cheeseburger is one of the best.”
Herbert’s opposition in the general election includes Democrat Mike Weinholtz, Independent American candidate Superdell Schanze, and Libertarian Brian Kamerath.
Independent for president candidate Evan McMullin spoke to around 300 people Wednesday evening at Clarke N. Johnsen Junior High School.
Born in Utah, McMullin went to high school in the western Washington State town of Auburn, about 30 miles south of Seattle. He is a former CIA operative, investment banker, and congressional staff member.
McMullin announced his candidacy in August, which was too late to get his name on the ballot in all 50 states.
Speaking to the audience in the school’s cafeteria, McMullin made it clear that his strategy is to block both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton from getting the required 270 majority of electoral votes.
The U.S. constitution would then throw the presidential election to the House of Representatives, where McMullin hopes to win.
His message Wednesday night was about a new conservative movement.
“We need a new conservative movement across the country,” McMullin said. “One that is based on traditional conservative values like returning power to the states and overcoming the leadership crisis that Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton personify.”
His message resounded with some of the audience.
“I’m voting for him,” said Rebecca Boren of Tooele. “He explains his positions in understandable ways. It’s about more than just the presidency — I’m voting to support a conservative movement.”
Emmalee Pryor of Tooele said she isn’t sure yet if she will vote for McMullin or Clinton.
“I like the idea of a new conservative movement,” she said. “The Republican Party needs to get the message that they need to change how they do things, like who thought Donald Trump would be an acceptable candidate?”
Along with Clinton, McMullin and Trump, seven other candidates are on the ballot in Utah for president.