We predict that after an early scare, free-market champion Mike Lee will be re-elected in Utah to the US Senate. But no thanks to Mitt Romney, who has remained neutral in the race between Mike Lee versus Evan McMullin, a liberal who is running as a masquerade Independent.

McMullin claims he will caucus with neither party should he win, but the Democrats are showering him with money.

Former Governor Jon Huntsman, a fellow moderate, has endorsed Lee in a TV ad. Lee supported Romney once he won the GOP primary in 2018. Romney won’t return the favor. If Lee were to improbably lose, Democrats could retain control of the Senate. And of course, the Senate would lose one of the primary voices for our Constitution in the Senate.

Why is Romney doing this? We suspect it is because Mitt knows he has a low probability of winning the GOP nomination when he is up for re-election so he might want to try this independent path himself. He was a registered independent for 20 years. With Mitt Romney, it’s always about Mitt. We suspect Utah voters are smart enough to see through this gambit.