Ex-CIA spy takes on Trump in independent bid

WASHINGTON: A former CIA operative and policy director to senior Republicans is ready to launch an independent presidential bid aimed more at derailing Donald Trump

WASHINGTON: A former CIA operative and policy director to senior Republicans is ready to launch an independent presidential bid aimed more at derailing Donald Trump than winning.

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Evan McMullin, a relatively unknown figure, has no realistic chances of winning, not after entering the race at this late hour when many states have closed their nomination process.

But he could provide an alternative to Republicans who don’t want to vote for their party nominee, and there were plenty of them rallied around #NeverTrump, or his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.

McMullin, who is expected to file his papers on Monday, edited his Twitter profile to announce his run: “Standing up to run for president because it’s never too late to do the right thing.”

There was no response from the Trump campaign or the nominee, who delivered a major speech in Detroit outlining his economic vision for the US.

McMullin, 40, is a 11-year veteran of the CIA and chief policy director for the House Republican Conference. He went to Wharton, like Trump, and worked for Goldman Sachs.

And he opposes Trump, as is clear from his tweets. “Authoritarians like @realDonaldTrump use promises of law & order to justify infringing on civil rights as they consolidate control by force,” he tweeted some days ago.

Not much else is known about him, his backers or his campaign team. Most reacted with “Evan who?” when the news first broke on Monday. Erik Erickson, editor of the conservative Red State and a member of the #NeverTrump group, however, wrote he believes McMullin could get backing from leading conservatives.