LDS Political Identity

LDS Political Identity

            Mormons are in the spotlight probably more than in any other time for a lot of people in the US. This is because of the upcoming US Presidential election in November 2012, with Mitt Romney being the first Mormon presidential nominee from one of the two major parties. But does this tell us much about the Latter-day Saint (LDS) political identity in the US and how would they respond to this upcoming presidential election?

Latter-day saints or Mormons, have some of the most conservative points of view in the nation. In fact, 66% of Mormons identify themselves as conservatives, while only 37% of the general population in the nation does (Pew Forum, 2012). Usually people, who tend to be more conservative, also lean to be more republican. This is shown by a survey where 74% of Mormons responded to be or to lean Republican (Pew Forum, 2012). Here is where we can start to confirm that the LDS community does in fact have a political identity.

            Some of the social values of the Mormon people that make them more conservative are like the ones related to abortion or “pro-life” and homosexuality.  In the issue of abortion, 70% of Mormons are against it and say that abortion should be illegal in most of the cases (Pew Forum, 2009). This can be compared to only 42% of the general population that thinks the same way they do (Pew Forum 2009). In the second case about homosexuality, Mormons think that homosexuality should be discouraged by society by 65%(Pew Forum, 2012). This is a response somewhat similar to the way that Republicans/Republican leaners believe, with 74% of them saying homosexuality should be discouraged by society (Pew Forum, 2012).

            These characteristics and many more that make most of Latter-day saints lean conservative is a result of their beliefs and teachings. These values that are taught to all Mormons, create a feeling of identity between its members. This political identity that it is created is very difficult to change, because it is based on their religious teachings and beliefs taught by their church, which teachings also do not change. That is why we can say that the political identity of the LDS in the US is based on the idea or argument of Primordialism. A political identity based in the argument of primordialism assumes that “political identities are innate and largely unchanging” (Samuels 153).  In contrast, the political identity argument of constructivism assumes that “the forms, meaning, and political salience of different forms of identity can change” (Samuels 157). For Mormons, their political identity is more of an unchanging one, because these issues are taught from very early in life.

            This political identity that Mormons have encourages them to show their support for the party, or people, that identify with them in those issues. For this reason, we can understand that support from a Latter-day saint would go to the Republican Party in any of the elections. Mormons people would support these individuals, because they want to be represented before the country by other people with the same sorts of values and ideals.

The Mormon political identity would lead us to assume an overwhelming support for the conservative or Republican candidates in the upcoming elections, but this support is not absolute. Some Mormons will still vote for Democrats, but that does not mean that the LDS political identity is unclear or that those Mormons are bad Mormons. Statistics show that a person can be a good Mormon and a democrat with 89% support of the LDS community (Utah data points 2010). The priorities or points of view about certain topics are different for them.

            In conclusion, only if certain social views change within the Republican Party, such as abortion, gay marriage, etc., would Mormons lean their political identity in another direction. Because the LDS political identity is based on the conservative values that their religion teaches, which values also do not change, they will keep voting in the same way.

 References:

Samuels, David J. Comparative Politics. Upper Saddle River: Pearson Education, 2012. Print.

The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, A Portrait of Mormonism in the US, July 2009, Web Oct 11, 2012.

The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, Mormons in America, January 2012, Web. Oct 11, 2012.

Utah Data Points, Can a good Mormon be a good Democrat? by Adam Brown, Web Oct 11, 2012.