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SALT LAKE CITY -- The highest-ranking politician who belongs to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints could find himself losing out among Mormon voters in two weeks.
The Las Vegas Sun reports when Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, spoke to a meeting of the Mormon Business Associates in August, he was greeted not only with tough questions, but even with a few boos and catcalls. His opponent, Republican Sharron Angle, was greeted with cheers and a standing ovation when she later addressed the same group.
Tim Chambless, assistant professor of political science at the University of Utah, points out 7 percent of Nevadans are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
"And in that way, they can have a significant impact, if the vote is very close, and if Harry Reid, the incumbent, who's LDS, does not attract [those voters]," Chambless says.
Right now, Angle is leading Reid at the polls, but only by about 3 percent, which is within the poll's 4 point margin of error. Chambless says that means it's still too close to call, and the ultimate poll will come on Election Day itself.
"It's the ‘T word,'" he says. "It's turnout. We will have to see what the turnout will be."
E-mail: bbruce@ksl.com
