A top leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is urging members to “avoid what is harsh and hateful” in the heat of election season. As both presidential campaigns have stepped up efforts to win over religious voters in western swing states such as Arizona and Nevada, church official Dallin H.
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints President Russell M. Nelson, center, waves to the crowd as he joins his counselors, President Dallin H. Oaks, left, first counselor in the First Presidency, and President Henry B. Eyring, second counselor in the First Presidency, at the afternoon session of the 194th Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Conference Center in Salt Lake City, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024.
The faith’s leaders strive to remain politically neutral. But they sometimes give general advice about how members should approach key elections. About 7 million of the faith’s 17 million worldwide members live in the United States, many in the battleground states of Arizona and Nevada, and in solidly red Utah and Idaho.
Harris is unlikely to come close to winning a majority of Latter-day Saints. But by preventing Trump from running up big margins with a key demographic, she could tip the scales in Arizona and Nevada, which is home to upward of 180,000 Latter-day Saints. “He’s the lesser of two evils,” said Idos, 70. “The basic things we believe in, Trump endorses. Abortion, that’s kind of the main one, and the freedom to worship.”
“Trump, he insults people, he makes people feel bad about who they are, and that’s not something I think I can stand by,” he said.
Nevada Donald Trump Kamala Harris Christianity General News ID State Wire UT State Wire AZ State Wire NV State Wire A Russell Nelson P Politics N U.S. News Religion Elections U.S. News
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