[Colofornian]

From the article: SALT LAKE CITY — Mormon Democrats announced a new national organization Thursday with chapters in eight states joining the Utah State Democratic Party's year-old LDS Dems Caucus...He said the national organization, as well as the chapters in Arizona, California, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Ohio, Texas and Washington, D.C., is a place for their "coming out and saying, 'We're Latter-day Saints, and we're Democrats.'"...The caucus gained publicity outside Utah for hosting an event featuring the nation's best-known Mormon Democrat, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, at September's Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C...

Utah's very roots were Democrat.

Why? Because the Democrats in the 19th century opposed the anti-polygamy Congressional legislation in the 1860s, 1870s, and 1880s.

Utah statehood arrived in 1896. Per Website content no longer updated, www.media.utah.edu, William Jennings Bryan drew more than 80% of the vote; a variety of Democrats to state and local office were elected then as well. That same year, William H. King was elected to Congress and the Democratic legislature selected Joseph L. Rawlins to serve as U. S. Senator.

1898: Utah Democrats elected B. H. Roberts to Congress although he was denied his seat because of his practice of plural marriage...Roberts took a THIRD wife around 1893...almost three years AFTER the "manifesto" calling for brakes to be applied to polygamy. Roberts was eventually replaced by William H. King in a special April 1900 election.

Previous year (1897): In the Utah state Legislature assuming office 39 in the Utah House of Reps in 1897 were Democrats, only 3 were Republicans & 3 were Populists. In the state Senate, it was a 17-0 shutout for the Democrats (plus one populist).

By 1900, the parties became balanced, and then the Democrats dropped off for a while in Utah as Republican’s Teddy Roosevelt’s ways carried the national day...By the 1920s, Utah elected a three-term Democratic senator...

From: http://www.allaboutmormons.com/misconceptions_mormons_politics.php : “During most of the 19th century, Utah was polarized along local rather than national party lines. Two local parties dominated the political scene: the “Mormon People’s Party” and the “Gentile Liberal Party.” When Mormons did think in terms of national politics, they were almost universally Democrat, as the Republicans opposed Utah statehood. Brigham Young was a life-long Democrat. In order to gain the senate’s approval for statehood, Utah was required to “normalize its political allegiances.” The Church disbanded the Mormon People’s Party but feared that a mass Mormon migration to the Democratic Party would displease Republican senators. Church leaders sent Apostle John Henry Smith to visit LDS congregations. It was possible to be a faithful Mormon and a Republican, he explained to the amazement of many LDS faithful. In 1893, the Church even asked some specific families to become Republicans, a move that would be unimaginable today.

Automatons, eh?

[teppe]

Colorornian ... I swear you can turn a story about a dog crossing the road in Utah nto an anti-mormon rant!

So .... there’s actually Mormon Democrats? After 52 years in the LDS Church, I’ve actually met about a dozen.

I’m so glad there isn’t any Evangelical Democrats! How’d you manage that? And if there is, I’m sure that you wouldn’t hesitate to post about them ...

...since afterall, I’m sure that your hearts is freeeeee of any bigotry or bias.

[Zakeet]

I always thought the Reed Smoot hearing (beginning in 1903) was the event that doomed the Democrat standing with the Mormon Church.

You will recall that it concerned the seating of Mr. Smoot, a non-polygamous Mormon. Before it was over, the Rats had called President Joseph F. Smith (Joseph's nephew) as a witness (who frankly admitted that he had never received any personal revelations from Christ and never knew anybody who had), and had uncovered widespread practice of polygamy (despite solemn promises that it had been stopped) -- leading to the Second (this time we really mean it when we promise we're going to stop it) Manifesto.

The Saints have not forgiven the Rat Party for that debacle to this very day.

[sagar]

“Utah’s very roots were Democrat.”

So was the Deep South’s. How is that working out for ya?

[NoLibZone]

You should be banned for your hatred.

Your a Christian like Nancy Pelosi is a Christian.

All your posts do is validate what the morons in Fresno said of FR

[Tennessee Nana]

‘We’re Latter-day Saints, and we’re Democrats.’”
____________________________________________

“I’m a Mormon and I’m a Democrat”

[Elsie]

But Taber, the former head of Mormons for Obama, the LDS group that backed President Barack Obama's re-election, said it's become harder over the past four decades for Mormons to be Democrats.

WHAT!!!???

I'll bet THAT makes for some interesting discussions around the dinner table!

Sounds like a LOT of folks either do NOT know their RELIGION or do NOT know Baraks values!

(Probably both. As Rush would say, "Low information voters."

They've VOTED for Mormonism firat; so I guess failing to choose the right person to elect would just come naturally; too.)

[bmwcyle]

Mormon Democrats - Two mistakes