--- title: Evan McMullin Faces Running Mate Woes description: It appears independent candidate Evan McMullin is having some trouble finding a running mate. canonical: https://time.com/4483874/evan-mcmullin-nathan-johnson-running-mate/ author: Maya Rhodan article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2016-09-08T17:06:40.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-19T07:48:18.282Z article:section: Politics og:title: Evan McMullin Faces Running Mate Woes og:description: He put an old friend's name as a "placeholder." og:url: https://time.com/4483874/evan-mcmullin-nathan-johnson-running-mate/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt926d41ca5f52eb30/6988a24dcd1bba11c9701f60/evan-mcmullin1.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2560 og:image:height: 1440 og:image:alt: Former CIA Agent Evan McMullin Launches Presidential Campaign In Salt Lake City og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Evan McMullin Faces Running Mate Woes twitter:description: He put an old friend's name as a "placeholder." twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt926d41ca5f52eb30/6988a24dcd1bba11c9701f60/evan-mcmullin1.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Evan McMullin Faces Running Mate Woes > Sponsored content. 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It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, twice a week. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=a75daebf-7e1d-42b3-9d3c-a076c3d9fe88&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1) by [Maya Rhodan](https://time.com/author/maya-rhodan/) ## Maya Rhodan Sep 8, 2016 5:06 PM UTC  Former CIA agent Evan McMullin announces his presidential campaign as an Independent candidate in Salt Lake City on Aug. 10, 2016. Former CIA agent Evan McMullin announces his presidential campaign as an Independent candidate in Salt Lake City on Aug. 10, 2016. George Frey—Getty Images by [Maya Rhodan](https://time.com/author/maya-rhodan/) ## Maya Rhodan Sep 8, 2016 5:06 PM UTC The Never Trump wing of the Republican Party had a hard time finding a candidate to run for president. Now it appears the candidate they found is having some trouble finding a running mate. When independent candidate [Evan McMullin](http://time.com/4443459/evan-mcmullin-president/) filed in several states—including Louisiana, Utah, Idaho and Arkansas—he put down as his vice presidential pick a man named Nathan Johnson. Campaign spokesman Rick Wilson [told Politico](http://www.politico.com/story/2016/09/evan-mcmullin-running-mate-227803) that Johnson is a close personal friend of McMullin who agreed to serve as a “placeholder” on the ballot until his actual running mate was named. In [a lengthy statement](https://www.evanmcmullin.com/politico%5Fgets%5Fit%5Fwrong%5Fon%5Fmcmullin%5Fvp%5Fpick), the campaign insisted that Politico’s report that Johnson’s name will appear on the ballot in at least eight states is incorrect while admitting that their approach is unconventional. “After Mr. McMullin wins states like Utah where the electorate views both the major party candidates with disdain, Mr. McMullin’s electors may simply vote for the person that Mr. McMullin selects as his running mate,” the statement reads. It continues, “even if that was not an option and Evan wins the White House, Vice President Johnson may simply resign. Section 2 of the Twenty-fifth Amendment provides the mechanism for President McMullin to then nominate a replacement.” What remains unclear, however, is who exactly Nathan Johnson is and whether he’d be willing to resign should the longshot candidate actually win. In [an interview with The Hill](http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/294757-mcmullin-stuck-with-accidental-vp) Wednesday, McMullin merely said Johnson is a longtime friend he’s so close with he told him about his secret CIA position. 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