Hillary Clinton this evening will open a campaign office in Utah, a state no Democratic candidate for president has carried since 1964. The news shows commitment by the Clinton campaign to aggressively expand the number of states in play.
The Hillary for America campaign announced the grand opening of the Hillary for Utah HQ, scheduled for 6:30 p.m. local time tonight, Aug. 23.:
“Join Hillary for America’s Senior Policy Advisor Jake Sullivan, and Hillary supporters from throughout the Beehive State, as we open our first official office in Utah!”
The move comes as Clinton runs within striking distance of her opponent, Republican presidential candidate, Donald Trump in the red state.
A Gravis poll taken in June indicated Trump held just a 7-percentage point lead in the traditionally Republican state, with the GOP nominee pulling in 36 percent of the vote to Clinton’s 29 percent and Libertarian nominee, Senator Gary Johnson’s 16 percent.
A University of Utah/Salt Lake Tribune poll from June showed Clinton and Trump tied in Utah with 35 percent of the vote, with 13 percent going toward Johnson.
More recently, UtahPolicy released a poll showing Trump leading Clinton 37-25, with Johnson at 16 percent. But even with Trump claiming a lead, the margin is much lower than expected in a candidate with a long history of backing the GOP nominee.
Former governor, Mitt Romney, the Republican presidential nominee in 2012, won Utah with a record 72.8 percent of the vote, according to 270toWin.com. Of note, Romney would have been the first Mormon elected to the White House if elected, something important to voters in a heavily Mormon state.
Arizona Senator John McCain, the Republican nominee in 2008, won 62.6 percent of the vote in Utah, while losing the presidency to Democrat Barack Obama in a landslide.
The last time a Democrat won Utah was when President Lyndon Johnson won the state with 54.9 percent of the vote in 1964, according to the Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections.
The fact Clinton can play in Utah may have more to do with disgust held by Utahans for Trump. During the Republican primary, the state went heavily for Texas Sen. Ted Cruz. And it also helps that Johnson, a former governor of New Mexico, has done well in Western states.
Even if Clinton does not win Utah in November, only six electoral votes are at stake. But forcing the state into play could mean the Trump campaign diverts resources into normally reliable territory.
Consequently, that could hurt his chances to come back in places like Florida or Ohio, swing states where he is losing by five percentage points, according to Electoral-Vote.com.
Clinton certainly wants to win the state. This month, she penned a guest Op-Ed in the Deseret News, a news outlet owned by the Church of Latter-Day Saints. Clinton wrote:
“We need to elect a president with the experience to keep us safe. We need to create an economy that works for everyone, not just those at the top.”
Featured Image; Screenshot Via Good4Utah Video.
