With the U.S. 2010 elections over more than a month ago, I’ve wanted to put together a summary of the results for Mormon candidates for some time, and finally got around to finishing it this past weekend. There were a few surprises.
In fact, I doubt that many readers will have heard of all the candidates I mention below — in part because I’ve gone a step beyond what others have and included statewide elections (Governor, Lt. Governor, etc.) in addition to the traditional list of those in Congress. Even in the latter, since I’ve included losing candidates as well, readers will discover information they didn’t know.
As in the past, I’ve included anyone who could be considered Mormon, even if they no longer identify themselves as Mormon, but I’ve marked those issues where I know about them, so readers can judge for themselves how many Mormons there are in the U.S. Congress and in the leadership of each state.
I should add that, given the expanded nature of this list, I am not at all certain that I’ve included everyone; in fact I wouldn’t be surprised to find 10 or more additional candidates and perhaps a few more state officials. As always, I would appreciate any additional information readers know.
This list is limited to elections in the U.S. But I am anxious to get information on Mormons who have been elected in other countries. I only know of two possible elected Mormons outside of the U.S. — Terry Rooney, an MP in the U.K., Brian Adam, MP in the Scottish parliament and Rahui Katene, an MP in New Zealand. But I would be very surprised if there weren’t Mormon elected officials in other countries — perhaps in Tonga and Samoa (where LDS Church members make up a large portion of the population), and perhaps in Chile, where concentrations are also relatively high. I’ve heard of LDS politicians serving in Brazil, Canada and in Mexico in the past. If you know of someone, please let me know, and I’ll put together a post of Mormon politicians outside of the U.S. later.
So, here are the results of the 2010 U.S. elections:
U.S. Senatorial elections:
Incumbents:
- Robert F. Bennett (R-UT) — lost in primary, replaced by Mike Lee
- Mike Crapo (R-ID) — re-elected
- Orrin Hatch (R-UT) — current term ends in 2012
- Harry Reid (D-NV) — re-elected
- Mark Udall (D-CO) — current term ends in 2014 (Mark Udall does not consider himself Mormon, although born in a Mormon family)
- Tom Udall (D-NM) — current term ends in 2014 (Tom Udall is widely known to be inactive)
Challengers:
- Sam Granato (D-UT) — lost to Mike Lee
- Merrill Cook (R-UT) — lost in primary
- Mike Lee (R-UT) — elected to replace Bennett
U.S. House elections:
Incumbents:
- Rob Bishop (R-UT) — re-elected
- Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) — re-elected
- Jeff Flake (R-AZ) — re-elected
- Eni F. H. Faleomavaega (D-American Samoa-non-voting) — re-elected
- Dean Heller (R-NV) — re-elected
- Wally Herger (R-CA) — re-elected
- Jim Matheson (D-UT) — re-elected
- Buck McKeon (R-CA) — re-elected
- Mike Simpson (R-ID) — re-elected
- Leonard Boswell (D-IA) — re-elected (member of Community of Christ)
Challengers:
- Mo Brooks (R-AL) — elected (although a convert who attends LDS services with his wife, Brooks no longer considers himself Mormon)
- Sheldon Fisher (R-AK) — lost (Fisher appears to be Mormon from his Wikipedia entry)
- David Harmer (R-CA) — lost
- Karen Hyer (D-UT) — lost
- Raul Labrador (R-ID) — elected
- Morgan Philpot (R-UT) — lost
State Governor elections:
Incumbents:
- Jim Gibbons (R-NV) — lost in primary (Gibbons is known to be inactive)
- Gary Herbert (R-UT) — re-elected
Challengers:
- Keith Allred (D-ID) — lost
- Mufi Hannemann (D-HI) — lost in primary
- Mike Montandon (R-NV) — lost in primary
- Rex Rammell (R-ID) — lost in primary
- Rory Reid (D-NV) — lost
State Lieutenant Governor elections:
Incumbents:
- Greg Bell (R-UT) — re-elected
Challengers:
- Sheryl Allen (D-UT) — lost
State Secretary of State elections:
Incumbents:
- Ken Bennett (R-AZ) — re-elected
I’m quite sure that I’ve missed a lot — particularly among those who challenged incumbents and lost. Much of the time the information about challengers is incomplete, and I wasn’t able to even read background information on them, let alone discover whether or not they are Mormon. Any further information is welcome.
February 7, 2011 — Mormon Times says Liz Bangerter is first Mormon woman elected to Montana House of Representatives.
Some good info here.
Rory Reid should be NV, not ID.
“Sheldon Fisher (R-AK) — lost (Fisher appears to be Mormon from his Wikipedia entry)”
He very much is.
Tim, thanks for noticing that error. I’ve corrected it.
Rob Cornilles (R-OR) lost to the incumbent David Wu (D-OR) for a house seat. Cornilles is Mormon and I believe active.
kirkc — that’s Oregon’s 1st congressional district — so it should be under U.S. House elections.
yes, correct.
Interesting info. Thanks for putting it together.
Rooney lost his seat but another Mormon won a different seat:
http://www.davidrutley.org.uk/about-david
Ronan: I’ve heard in the past that most LDS Brits break for Labour. Is this right? Is the fact that the one LDS MP is now a conservative part of a shift toward the conservatives by British Mormons?
My experience is that most Brits tend towards the Conservatives (clues in the name). But Brits in general are far less animated about politics than our American cousins. Btw, David Rutley is in my parents’ (and my soon to be) home ward. From the little I know of him he seems like an impressive guy.
PS. That should be LDS Brits, not Brits in general.
Most middle-class LDS Brits probably vote Tory, but by “most,” read “a very slight majority.” No-one ever talks politics, so it’s hard to gauge. I imagine Fowles’ London ward is quite different, though.
U.S. House Elections
Challenger:
Vernon Harrison (R-MA) — lost to incumbent Stephen Lynch
US House Elections
Challenger:
David Harmer (R-CA) —lost to incumbent…can’t remember his name. Out in California.
In Canada Cindy Ady is an MLA in Alberta and in the minister of tourism. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cindy_Ady
Right, Ronan. My sense of LDS Brits’ political leanings probably comes from the 80s/early 90s when Labour was far more socialist and the rhetoric coming from Salt Lake was that socialism was just a stones throw away from communism. But with Labour’s shift to the centre right (also we’re a generation removed from ETB) the Tory/Labour split is likely a lot more even. But as you say it’s difficult to judge as nobody talks politics.
Dan (14), I appreciate the tip, but it is already on the list.
But Orwell’s tip (13) isn’t (thanks Orwell). I also should thank kirkc (4) for the info on Cornilles and Ronan (8) for the information on Rooney and Rutley.
US house, New Hampshire (2nd district)
Katrina Swett (D) lost in the primary
Thanks chas (18)
Is Swett related to another Mormon politician in NH? I have a vague memory of some other Mormon politician named Swett in New England about a decade ago.
[I should also thank Chris H. (2) and Brandon (15) for their information.]
Found it. Katrina Swett is married to Ambassador and former Congressman Richard Swett and daughter of the late Congressman Tom Lantos.
Dick Swett was Ambassador to Denmark from 1998 to 2001 under Clinton.
Has anybody pointed that in the upcoming congress there will be three great great grandsons of John D. Lee in the Senate? (Mike Lee of Utah and two Udall Cousins from New Mexico and Colorado) I don’t think there will be any mention of that in Church News anytime soon
Matt Schultz elected Secretary of State in Iowa. Was City Councilman from Council bluffs. An interesting state.
Kent,
hmmm, I didn’t see it on the list when I made that comment.
Thanks, Murdock (22). His campaign website says that he is a Republican.
Found another U.S. Senate challenger:
Chad Christensen (R-NV) lost in primary
And another U.S. House challenger:
Jeff Smith (R-AZ) lost in primary
And earned that the mother of Congressman Darrell Issa (R-CA), was Mormon, although Issa doesn’t consider himself Mormon, but “Christian Eclectic.”
Interesting stuff Kent. Thanks for doing this. I always feel a bit uncomfortable reading “inactive” about somebody but I understand all the reasons for writing that.
Buck McKeon will be Armed Services Committee Chairman, fwiw
In Australia, as far as I know there is just one LDS politician: David Gibson, a member of parliament in the state of Queensland.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Gibson_(Australian_politician)
Thanks for this, Tim (28). Its always very difficult to find the Mormon politicians outside of the U.S.
I just found another one:
Ron Micheli, candidate for the republican nomination for governor in Wyoming, lost in the primary.
You appear to have left out Tim Bridgewater, who came much closer to winning the Utah Senate race than Merrill Cook did. Tim Bridgewater and Mike Lee both beat out Senator Bob Bennett (among others) for the chance to run in the Republican primary. Not a good year to be a moderate Republican.