Mormon, GOP Link Doomed Democrats (in 2002 elections)

The Salt Lake Tribune ^ | 12/6/2002 | DAN HARRIE

[Utah Girl]

The worst news for Utah Democrats coming out of last month's election may not be that they lost, but that the tight bond between Mormon voters and the Republican Party would appear to guarantee Democratic frustration into the foreseeable future.

Seventy-five percent of Utah voters in the Nov. 5 election were members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and an overwhelming majority of them voted for Republicans, according to new exit-poll results.

Pollster Dan Jones presented a bleak postmortem Thursday to a gathering of 30 or so Democratic Party insiders, and the religion-related statistics were the most discouraging of all for the group.

"This is just going to blow your mind," Jones warned. He was right.

Even Democrat Dave Thomas, a Mormon bishop, mustered only 28 percent of the LDS vote in the 1st Congressional District. Republican Rob Bishop vacuumed up 71 percent of the Mormon vote. Democrats on hand for the pollster's talk groaned.

Rep. Jim Matheson, the lone Democrat in Utah's congressional delegation, barely survived a challenge by Republican John Swallow in the 2nd District. It's easy to see why, when just 36 percent of LDS voters punched the ballot for Matheson, a Mormon, compared with 64 percent for Swallow, Jones' exit poll of voters shows.

And in the 3rd District, where a whopping 84 percent of those who went to the election polls were LDS, Republican Rep. Chris Cannon captured 76 percent of the ballots cast by Mormons. Democrat Nancy Jane Woodside managed a paltry 21 percent, with 3 percent going to Libertarian Kitty Burton.

"They're voting for the Republican Party as the church," said state Rep. Pat Jones, D-Holladay, wife and polling business partner of Dan Jones.

Dan Jones was overcome with emotion, choking back tears several times during Thursday's presentation.

"Don't give up your roots. Work hard and be proud," Jones exhorted Democrats. "This election, too, will pass. Next election Democrats in the state of Utah are going to kick butt."

But other than his passion, he had nothing to offer to back that up.

While 56 percent of about 11,700 Utah voters polled identified themselves as Republican, just 19 percent said they were Democrats. Another 21 percent described themselves as independent and 4 percent "other."

Just a few years ago, Jones said the Republican-Democrat gap was narrower: 41 percent to 22 percent. A few years before that it was one-third Republican, one-third Democrat and one-third independent.

"I'm astounded by these numbers," University of Utah political scientist Matthew Burbank said when told of the poll results. "That's tough for Democrats."

He noted the public statement in 1998 by high-ranking church leader Marlin Jensen that top LDS officials were concerned about the development of a "church party" in Utah. JenÂsen, a lifelong Democrat authorized by the church to speak publicly on the political imbalance, also issued assurances it was OK to be a Mormon and a Democrat. "There should have been some hope there for Democrats," said Burbank.

"When you run somebody like Dave Thomas," said Burbank, "this was the test" of the theory -- first propounded by Brigham Young University political scientist David Magleby -- that Democrats should run moderate, LDS candidates to reverse their disastrous electoral record.

"That's fairly striking that Thomas is doing worse than Matheson is" among Mormon voters. "It's not very encouraging for Democrats."

[Utah Girl]

Unfortunately for the Democrats, the LDS church pronouncement that it was OK to be a Mormon and a Democrate was really bad timing. The Clinton impeachment and sex scandal were at fever pitch, and many of us said no thanks to the Democrat party. And quite honestly, until the Democrats condemn abortion, gay marriage, etc, I will happily remain a conservative.

[Libertarianize the GOP]

http://www.freerepublic.com/perl/bump-list

[Little Bill]

I have difficulty remembering back all those years, but I seem to remember that the Rats had a chance, 50/50 in Utah. It seems that outside of Salt Lake the Rat party is Dead?

[Guillermo]

I hope you all can oust that one 'Rat in 04.

[zlala]

"They're voting for the Republican Party as the church,"

How does that explain the rest of the country's Republicans? I'll take a wild guess that most of the Republicans outside of Utah are not Mormons. Since this article is specifically about Utah/Mormons, itsn't it nice that the dems don't type-cast. (profiling?)

[johniegrad]

Why this should be suprising to anyone is beyond me. The Democratic party nation wide is so left that anyone with a prolife position or religious values is hard pressed to find anyone to vote for. Of course, the picture of the national dems will spill over into Utah. The shift to increasing numbers for the Republicans shouldn't be a shock either. Knowing this the dems still argue about whether they should go further left even after the last election. Cheers to Nancy Pelosi and all the enemies of America!! You continue to educate the public to the dangers of socialism. Keep up the good work!!

[chimera]

I thought I saw a post relatively recently about the one Republican who lost the governship of Arizona attributed in part to his opponent's calling attention to the fact that he was a Mormon. Didn't the Rats in MA try the same gambit against Romney a few years ago when they beat him for the Senate?

So, outside of Utah, is one's affiliation with the Church of JC of LDS a net plus or minus, or a wash? Speaking only for me, I try not to allow religious prejudice to enter the political calculation as to who the best candidate might be. Positions on issues and personal integrity are better factors to consider, IMO.

[wideawake]

Question: what percentage of non-SLC voters vote Democrat?

[Maceman]

Here are the pictures of Bush & Clinton looking through binoculars with lens covers.

[Tom Bombadil]

Clinton impeachment and sex scandal were at fever pitch, and many of us said no thanks to the Democrat party.

Clinton legacy.

I am not a Mormon but I know a few, and my bet is that the shift really started to accelerate right around the time when Billy boy was dodging the fallout from his lies about the Monica BJ.

[colorado tanker]

Democrat #1: Do you think the fact that the Democrats poll badly with people of faith is that we support anti-religious groups like People for the American Way and Naral; are pro-abortion; support the ban of prayer in schools; support the "marriage penalty;" oppose school vouchers; and say "fundamentalists" cause terror?

Democrat #2: Nah, it's bacause the media are all Republicans and we "didn't get our message out." We just need to be more liberal.

Democrat #1: Guess you're right; pass the Pinot Grigio, will you?

[William McKinley]

Uh... thanks? Were those doctored in Utah or something?

[Utah Binger]

After having lived in the San Francisco Bay area for 35 years as a conservative, I found it extremely interesting to move to Salt Lake City and discover the pseudo liberals here that are that in name only. In reality most are quite conservative as compared to the folks in Northern Kalifornia. Mainly it seems most of the liberal wannabes are trying to make a statement against the church which is quite silly. There is a type of persecution complex based only on we're not one of them that pervades this society.
A wonderful place if I could just import a couple of my favorite watering holes with sophisticated bartenders.

[Libertarianize the GOP]

bump

[SENTINEL]

"Democrat Dave Thomas, a Mormon bishop"

Now that's an OXYMORMON !

[GovernmentShrinker]

I can't think of anything more hypocritical than Mormons and the Mormon Church advocating that government refuse to recognize marriages that don't happen to conform to Mormon beliefs.

First, there's the well-known historical assault on the Constitution, wherein the federal government sent troops into Utah to force the Mormons to stop practicing the polygamy component that was part of their religion at that time. And long before polygamy was introduced to Mormonism, Ohio government officials refused to recognize monogamous marriages performed by Mormon clergy as valid, on the grounds that the clergy were not members of a "legitimate" religion.

Now the Mormon Church is pouring huge resources into lobbying various government entities to refuse to recognize marriages which the Mormon Church doesn't regard as "legitimate". Think about it (and think about why the government should be in the business of registering and recognizing intimate personal relationships at all).

[Cicero]

Mormons I have known are moral, conservative, family-oriented people. I don't happen to agree with their religious beliefs, but they seem to produce good results as far as moral character and good citizenship are concerned.

Mormonism can't be identified with a political party any more than Christianity can, because you never can be sure what a political party will do next. But as far as present-day politics are concerned, it's hard to see how anyone who believes in traditional moral values could vote for the Democrats. They belong to the culture of death and perversion.

[jimt]

Now the Mormon Church is pouring huge resources into lobbying various government entities to refuse to recognize marriages which the Mormon Church doesn't regard as "legitimate".

C'mon, why hide it? Aren't those horrible awful Mormons actually simply opposing gay "marriage" ?

[Saundra Duffy]

BUMPeroo!

[Saundra Duffy]

Seventy-five percent of Utah voters in the Nov. 5 election were members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and an overwhelming majority of them voted for Republicans, according to new exit-poll results.

I wish Catholics would follow suit.