"I think he did a little too much LDS."
Posted on 06/30/2006 10:09:53 AM PDT by colorcountry
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- Some political observers are wondering whether a Mormon church statement urging members to vote in Tuesday's primary may have boosted turnout and helped five-term incumbent Republican Rep. Chris Cannon turn back challenger John Jacob.
"Between the president and Mrs. Bush's endorsement (of Cannon) and the church's statement from the pulpit -- those were the two biggest factors that helped Cannon in his re-election," said Ron Fox, who helped run Bush's Utah campaign in 2000 and 2004.
"I think the church's desires were to get people to the polls and vote and I think, as a byproduct, it assisted Cannon in his re-election," he told The Salt Lake Tribune.
The turnout in the 3rd District primary was higher than in the 2004 primary.
The race had focused on immigration issues, with businessman Jacob accusing Cannon of supporting President Bush's policies, while Jacob opposed any guest-worker or amnesty programs.
Getting voters to the polls had been considered vital to Cannon's chances to keep his seat.
"Turnout usually favors an incumbent in these kinds of situations because when you expand the election pool you are including voters who are going to take into consideration other factors beside the immigration issue," said Kelly Patterson, a political science professor at Brigham Young University, which is owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Quin Monson, another BYU professor, downplayed the significance of the church letter, which he said contained fairly "standard language." However, it apparently motivated some people.
"A friend called to tell me that she voted specifically because she heard the letter on Sunday," Monson said.
Church spokesman Dale Bills said that to his knowledge, it was the first time church leaders have urged its members to vote in a primary election.
Bills said that church leaders "regularly teach that church members should make their voices heard as individual citizens of their respective nations by exercising their right to vote."
The church leaders said that they were lending their voice at the request of Joe Cannon, chairman of the Utah Republican Party and Chris Cannon's brother, and the Democratic chairman, Wayne Holland.
Todd Taylor, executive director of the Utah Democratic Party, said Joe Cannon approached Holland and suggested they make the request to the church, and the Democrats agreed.
"It's hard to quantify the impact" of the church statement, said Jeff Hartley, executive director of the Utah Republican Party.
"Based on the Utah County turnout, which was higher than anyone expected, I believe the president had a significant impact on Republican voters and I believe that the church reminding people from the pulpit had a significant impact on the Republican voters, and I hope our efforts as a party had a significant impact," he said.
Information from: The Salt Lake Tribune, http://www.sltrib.com
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Isn't that why the democrat's go and speak in churches?
Ping (in case you're interested)
*Disclaimer: This Ping list was compiled of some Fr's posting on Chris Cannon threads.
Wonder why they don't get more church support after being Pro-Death (Terry's case), Pro-Abortion(to the core), Pro-Eminent Domain (see their voting record), and Pro-liberal indoctrination in the schools. Doh!
Do they?
I haven't been to LDS Church (other than family sponsored events) for over 20 years.
You see them all the time on tv, here in CA at the A&E church we saw Clinton, Kerry, and all the rest of the left.
"..John Jacob.."
Jinglehimer Schmit!
It was the LDS hierarchy all along.
Oh, and those hands of five card stud at the Riviera.
No conspiracy theory here.
As long as the LDS letter didn't endorse and simply encouraed folks
to exercise their voting rights in a lawful manner...works for me.
But I do get the impression that illegal immigration is A-OK with the
LDS (at least that's the impression I get from numerous news reports).
I know from first hand experience it's not just Catholic bishops that
are church leaders pushing for immigration of illegals as some sort of
saintly approach to this illegality.
But nice try at the howard dean tactic of saying "loss is victory".
Oh well I see the tancredo/bay buchanan minions are still trying to spin. the only thing spinning are their heads at the humiliating defeat, and what the hey lets put some Mormon bashing to boot.
For me personally, I favor a much more direct stance on illegal immigration that would criminalize illegal aliens and those who hire them, giove a short opportunity for voluntary deportation with the incentive to do so being that if they voluntarily report and have no criminal background or terror ties, that they will receive favorable consideration in future, normal immigration applications. But, thereaftyer, we will find them out and if we have to find and deport them, they will be on a permanent list of never being allowed to legally immigrate to this country, and if we catch them again, they will spend twenty years at hard labor.
Then, build the fence and man it adequately to control our borders. At that point, and that point alone, after these things are done, can we talk about a sensible worker permit program that does not include social welfare, anchor babies, or any dependents being here...and has a relative short duration (12 months) for the work permit.
But that's just my opinion.
I didn't do anything but post a thread. What's your problem?
Not according the article, Dane. Turnout was higher this year than in 2004.
High turnout always favors incumbents.
Thank you Mr. Head,
Your opinion is spot-on as far as I'm concerned. I know for a fact, the Church would never endorse a specific candidate, but always encourages voters to get out and vote.
I like your ideas on immigration too. :-)
Nothing. I was accused of gloating about Cannon's big win and IMO I have the right to say you are practicing sour grapes.
With bay buchanan/AP LDS bashing rhetoric. Real good sources there.
I'm surprised bay's brother pat hasn't followed her lead and bash his Church(Roman Catholic) the way bay has bashed hers(LDS).
Maybe bay is trying to out do her brother in the pitchfork dept.
Maybe pat will try to one up her and bash Pope Benedict the XVI.
High turnout always favors incumbents
It was 7% in the biggest county with the most precincts, Salt Lake County.
Wouldn't be the first time the AP got it's facts wrong.
Bush radio ads, phone calls, etc. were all part of the massive effort reminiscent of the way they got Arlen Specter over the top against Pat Toomey in 2004.
We can argue about immigration, John Jacob, LDS Church letters etc. but a lot of money and effort went into putting Cannon over the top. The money and effort coming from Karl Rove, the President and the GOP establishment.
They didn't want to be embarrassed by a Cannon loss and have their agenda set back which for better or worse includes keeping illegal immigrants in the country. The illegal workers are needed to satisfy the needs of the businesses that use them and contribute to political campaigns.
"I think he did a little too much LDS."
I'll bet you those "political" observers were bay buchanan and tom tancredo.
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