Do you realize that most Lds political leaders from the 19th century into the early 20th century were Democrats? [colo]
No they weren’t. [MM]
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Yes they were. Considering the Republican party was founded upon the principles of eliminating the “twin relics of barbarism - slavery and polygamy”, the LDS fought against the Rep party until the 19 - teens. There were many more LDS democrats until the 1960’s, when the LDS moved more to Republicanism.
From: http://www.allaboutmormons.com/misconceptions_mormons_politics.php
“During most of the 19th century, Utah was polarized along local rather than national party lines. Two local parties dominated the political scene: the “Mormon People’s Party” and the “Gentile Liberal Party.” When Mormons did think in terms of national politics, they were almost universally Democrat, as the Republicans opposed Utah statehood. Brigham Young was a life-long Democrat.
In order to gain the senate’s approval for statehood, Utah was required to “normalize its political allegiances.” The Church disbanded the Mormon People’s Party but feared that a mass Mormon migration to the Democratic Party would displease Republican senators. Church leaders sent Apostle John Henry Smith to visit LDS congregations. It was possible to be a faithful Mormon and a Republican, he explained to the amazement of many LDS faithful. In 1893, the Church even asked some specific families to become Republicans, a move that would be unimaginable today.
Largely because of this Church effort, Republicans and Democrats were both well-represented around the turn of the century. The Democrats had some impressive victories; in the first presidential election after Utah statehood in 1896, Democrats earned eighty percent of the presidential vote for William Jennings Bryan and elected many of their own to state, local, and national offices. Democrats also had great successes in the 1910s, in the 1930s with the rise of Franklin D. Roosevelt, and in 1964 with the Lyndon B. Johnson landslide. The Democratic stance on social issues such as caring for the poor was seamlessly compatible with LDS teachings. It was a great time to be a Mormon Democrat.
Upon admission Utah's first three Governors were Republicans. Their first five Senators were Republican (except for a one term Democrat). Their first six reprentatives (broken by the two terms of the King/Roberts seat were Republicans.
They shifted in the 1917 wave for Wilson and during the depression. They are as reliably Republican as any conservative state.
In 1896 Bryan carried all of the mining states because of his advocacy of free coinage of silver. By 1900 Utah was solidly in the Republican camp.