Comments on: Mormons in Congress–Post-Election Summary

By: Little Sister

Little Sister — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 05:15:44 +0000

Thanks Bob!!

And way to go Jim Matheson! Those are some incredible numbers. I’m also not shedding any tears over Chris Cannon getting ousted, even if by another Republican.

By: Trenton

Trenton — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 05:10:12 +0000

Martin, I must also protest your mischaracterization both of Jason Chaffetz, and of Utah legislators in general.

Specifically, which of Utah’s Congressmen or Senators has switched to the Republican party to get elected?

What you’re suggesting has several implications, not the least of which is that Utah voters are unsophisticated, being easily deceived by Democrats masquerading as Republicans.

Most people in my precinct would strongly disagree with you.

By: Holly

Holly — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 21:42:14 +0000

Um, Martin, that is so not true. Jason converted to both the LDS church and the Republican party almost 20 years ago. He also never said “tent camps”, “tent cities”, etc. What he did say is that we have 600,000 fugitive aliens in this country – those here illegally who have gone on to commit crimes, have appeared before a judge and ordered to return home but disappeared into our neighborhoods instead. His quote was this: “Joe Arapio of Maricopa county, Arizona, has said that if tents are good enough for our troops in Iraq, they are good enough for our prisoners. I agree.” And I agree with Jason quoting Joe. He never advocated tossing families or whatever into “tent camps”. He is a good, honorable man, a hard worker and one who understands and embraces the conservative principles this country was founded on.

By: Martin Willey

Martin Willey — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 21:46:50 +0000

Lots of interesting facts. Utah is full of people, like Chaffetz, who were Democrats when young, then “converted” to Republicanism to run for office. I have always assumed that they have no soul. It certainly seems true of Chaffetz, who went from working for Dukakis to being a right wing extremist who wants to put illegal immigrants in tent camps.

By: Matt W.

Matt W. — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 21:41:02 +0000

Seeing Orrin Hatch up there makes me think two words “Term limits”. Sorry, just had to say it. I mean, I’m not against the guy, nor am I a Utahn, but he’s been a senator forever….

By: Bob King

Bob King — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 21:32:36 +0000

Who is a real Mormon? Rebecca (Comment #1) asks “who are active LDS members and which are simply ‘Mormon’ by heritage.” When the Church publishes the official annual statistical report of Church membership, all 14 of these LDS Members of Congress are included in that number. The number that have temple recommends or pay a full tithing or do their Home Teaching is something that only their bishops know, and that is the kind of information that is not made public by the Church.

The usual assumption made by some is that only Republicans are active Church members and the Democrats are Mormon in name only. Based on my own knowledge of these men, some Democrats are “active” and some are “less active”; some Republicans are “active” and some are “less active.” The point is that when asked for their religious identification, these are the Members of Congress who consider themselves to be Latter-day Saints.

When Jewish or Roman Catholic Members of Congress are identified, there is not an effort to identify which Jewish members are “observant” and which eat shrimp, nor is there an effort to determine which Roman Catholics have taken communion in the last six months.

By: Cynthia L.

Cynthia L. — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 21:32:17 +0000

It would be interesting to be a fly on the wall in some discussions in the Steve Young (CA-48) campaign and how Young’s religion was interacting (or not) with the Prop 8 stuff.

By: Cynthia L.

Cynthia L. — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 21:16:57 +0000

Interesting, thanks!

By: Rebecca

Rebecca — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 18:50:54 +0000

Flake’s district is the North and Eastern portions of the Phx metropolitan area — not that it makes a big difference. But the West side of the Valley does not have the density of church members as does the East Valley (Mesa, Gilbert, etc.).

I still would like to hear a distinction between which of these leaders are active LDS members and which are simply “Mormon” by heritage.