World Faiths & Religions

Though the LDS Church officially forbids the endorsement of specific candidates or political parties from its pulpits, it encourages political participation on all levels. LDS often have strong but divergent political views. Within the U.S., many LDS tend to vote Republican, although this represents a relatively recent development in historical terms. Prominent LDS Republicans include Orrin Hatch and Mitt Romney. Equally fervent though smaller in number are LDS Democrats (including the current Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid), Libertarians, and others. Regardless of affiliation, most Mormons choose their party in some part because it best represents their view of Gospel principles, or at least allows them to project those principles on to party positions. For example, LDS Republicans tend to conceptualize their party as embodying traditional morality and self-governance instead of government interference, and so on, principles they see taught in the Book of Mormon. On the other hand, LDS Democrats conceptualize their party as embodying an emphasis on caring for the poor and needy, principles also taught in the Book of Mormon. Outside of the U.S., LDS have been members of nearly every political party.