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Latter-day Saint politicians in the western part of the United States outside Utah typically face constituents who are more familiar with the church. That reality for these politicians stems from the fact that Latter-day Saints are a larger percentage of the population than in the East or Midwest. In one state, Idaho, 25 percent of the population are church members. Admittedly, those members are located primarily in the southeastern portion of the state. Other states have smaller populations of Latter-day Saints, such as Wyoming, 12 percent, and Arizona and Nevada, 6 percent, but still large enough for members of other faiths to be aware of the church.[1]

Not only would constituents be more aware of the church, but they would have had more experience with Latter-day Saint politicians. Latter-day Saints have been governors of Idaho and Arizona and US senators from those states as well as New Mexico and Nevada. Several have represented other states in Congress, including California and Oregon. Some of these politicians have been less-active members and identified only tangentially with the church, while others have served in various callings such as members of stake presidencies or bishoprics.

Voters in these states also may realize that Latter-day Saints and Latter-day Saint politicians are not monolithic. A larger Latter-day Saint community means the presence of more diversity within the church. For example, in 2020, women within the church in Arizona, a swing state in that year’s presidential election, were turning away from Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.[2] That phenomenon meant that, in a close election, Arizona’s Latter-day Saint women could be pivotal in denying Trump reelection, which is what ultimately happened.

In terms of the diversity of politicians, one of the most prominent Democrats in the United States was the late US senator Harry Reid, who was an active member throughout his adult life. Even within the Republican Party, there is considerable ideological distance among church members serving in government. As a consequence, Latter-day Saint politicians in these states face a constituency already somewhat familiar with Latter-day Saints and the reality that within the church there are varying political views.

Politicians from Nevada, Arizona, California, and Idaho are represented in this section. But their challenges are like those of others in the region. They discuss their relationships with other church members as well as other constituents and government officials who are not Latter-day Saint. The church is an important aspect of their lives, and others know they are church members, but they do not appeal specifically to Latter-day Saints or make their church membership a part of their campaigning for office in a constituency that is not primarily Latter-day Saint.

Notes

[1] “Facts and Statistics: United States,” Newsroom, .

[2] Liz Mair, “Will Mormon Women Sink Trump in Arizona?,” New York Times, October 2, 2020, .