Utah is heavily Republican....they wouldn't have been in those positions if they weren't walking the R walk. Of course, it's GOPe. Utah is MORE heavily MORMON...
A majority of the state's residents are members of
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). As of 2007,
60.7% of Utahns are counted as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, although only 41.6% of them are active members.
[9][10]
Mormons now make up about 34%–41% of
Salt Lake City,
[9] while rural areas tend to be overwhelmingly Mormon. Though the LDS Church officially maintains a policy of neutrality in regards to political parties,
[11] the church's doctrine has a strong regional influence on politics.
[12]
Another doctrine effect can be seen in Utah's high
birth rate (25 percent higher than the national average; the highest for a state in the U.S.).
[13] The Mormons in Utah tend to have
conservative views when it comes to most political issues and the majority of voter-age Utahns are unaffiliated voters (60%) who vote overwhelmingly
Republican.
[14] John McCain polled 62.5% in the
2008 Presidential Election while 70.9% of Utahns opted for
George W. Bush in 2004.