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McMullin squares off with CNBC anchors over independent candidacy

by Mallory Shelbourne - 10/25/16 6:50 PM ET

Independent presidential candidate Evan McMullin sparred with CNBC anchors Tuesday over his place in the presidential race.

McMullin told CNBC’s “Squawk Box” that Donald Trump is “an absolutely terrible candidate” and insisted the GOP presidential nominee would lose the election to Democrat Hillary Clinton on Nov. 8.

{mosads}CNBC host Joe Kernan challenged McMullin’s assertions, citing the inaccurate polls in Great Britain prior to the referendum on leaving the European Union, while McMullin responded that he was referencing Electoral College projections.

“So let’s not have the election then,” Kernan continued.

“Look, you’re taking votes away from the Republican and you’re making it harder to stop Hillary Clinton,” the CNBC host said.

“I’m taking votes away from Donald Trump?” McMullin fired back. “He might be the Republican; he’s no conservative.”

McMullin, a former CIA operative running with the support of popular conservatives like Bill Kristol, is currently tied with Clinton in Utah, according to the RealClearPolitics polling index, while both trail Trump by 5.5 points.

Tags CNBC Donald Trump Hillary Clinton