Mormon voters are showing clear cracks in GOP loyalty — and Dems are reaching out: report
The Mormon voting block might be experiencing a dramatic shift away from the Republican Party, a new report claimed Monday.
The Deseret News reported Monday that the conservative faith that is traditionally loyal to the GOP over social issues is showing signs of a fundamental change.
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The demographic is a small one — only about 2 percent of the total population. But in swing states like Arizona and Nevada, with sizable Mormon populations, every vote matters.
A June survey by the American Enterprise Institute’s Survey Center on American Life stated that Mormon voters were more likely than any other religious group to wash their hands of both political parties.
But it appears many of just switching to the Democrats. About 2,000 people joined a Zoom call in August for “Latter-day Saints for Harris."
Rev. Jen Butler, who is running faith outreach for Harris, told Religious News Service that messages about religious freedom would connect with Latter-day Saints.
“I think we can engage them, because we are the party of freedom,” she said.
Meanwhile, Trump is pressuring LDS voters through Marlon Bateman, a former Trump administration official at the State Department, who chairs the "Latter-day Saints for Trump."
While he wouldn't answer questions, Utah Republican Party chair Rob Axson said Utah volunteers were ready to drive into Arizona to knock on doors for Trump.
One problem, however, is Trump's vice presidential choice, Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH), who didn't “treat others with respect,” said former Mesa Mayor Claudia Walters, who is a member of the church.
Harris is ”spreading positivity and kindness," she said. "And that goes along with my values, which each one of us is a child of our Heavenly Parents who love us.”
Thus far, the Trump campaign has not made a big push for the LDS voters this year. There was a "Believers for Trump" group that started in July, and the Trump campaign said all different religious sects would be funneled through that.
But other religions got the red-carpet treatment. Recently, the campaign announced "Catholics for Trump" and hired Ben Carson to run the campaign's faith campaign.
Former Trump EPA official Layne Bangerter said that the campaign didn't need to start "Latter-day Saints for Trump" because he knows they already support him.
Read the full report at The Desert News.