Bush got higher percentage of Mormon votes than Romney

[technical support]

http://www.salon.com/2012/11/09/bush_got_more_mormon_votes_than_romney/

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/267063-poll-bush-won-more-mormons-than-
romney-but-gop-improves-among-jews-catholics

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2012/11/09/bush_had_more_mormon_support_than_romney.html

A Pew Research survey of voters by religion found that a higher percentage of Mormons voted for George W. Bush in 2004 than Mitt Romney in 2012.

According to Pew, in 2004 Bush got 80 percent of the Mormon vote, while Romney got 78 percent this year.

Romney did get a slightly higher percentage than Bush of the white protestant/other Christian vote, 69-65 percent, and the same percentage of the evangelical/born again vote.

Jillian Rayfield is an Assistant News Editor

[Northeast Rep Snowball]

Interesting, but the accuracy of the polls might be a factor, it was only by 2 %

[Zioneer]

I'm proud to be a Utah Mormon who didn't vote for Romney. It's always hilarious when my fellow Mormons ask about that.

[Nichlemn]

Interesting, but the accuracy of the polls might be a factor, it was only by 2 %

This. Not only is there sampling error, but I imagine there's more non-sampling error than usual (harder to poll a religion than a state, the tendency for people to overstate having voted for the winner after the fact).

[rbt48]

I kind of doubt that Harry Reid voted for Romney.  Or Matheson for that matter.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

So much for the Mormons ejecting Romney to the White House.

[King]

Mormons might actually be a group where Democrats can make in-roads.  Obviously it wasn't this election with Romney, but they have a lot of college degrees as a population and are big on helping the poor in their church.  I think there is a message for them without having to pander.

[Skill and Chance]

Mormons might actually be a group where Democrats can make in-roads.  Obviously it wasn't this election with Romney, but they have a lot of college degrees as a population and are big on helping the poor in their church.  I think there is a message for them without having to pander.

Why would they be more likely to reach Mormons than Evangelicals, though?  Their social views are comparable.  I guess there is the historical experience of being the "other" for Mormons. 

[badgate]

I'm proud to be a Utah Mormon who didn't vote for Romney. It's always hilarious when my fellow Mormons ask about that.

Were you allowed to speak openly about that?

[Zioneer]

I kind of doubt that Harry Reid voted for Romney.  Or Matheson for that matter.

Or poor Senator Tom Udall of New Mexico, who everyone forgets when mentioning Mormon Democrats.

Mormons might actually be a group where Democrats can make in-roads.  Obviously it wasn't this election with Romney, but they have a lot of college degrees as a population and are big on helping the poor in their church.  I think there is a message for them without having to pander.

It's very possible; the LDS Dems Caucaus was created in 2011 for that purpose, and it now has over 2,000 members solely from Utah. And don't for get that the Dem's candidate for Salt Lake County Mayor, one of the most powerful political positions in Utah, won by 9 points. Mormons can vote for Dems, it just depends on the Democrat running. And Latino Mormons (one of the fastest growing LDS populations) tend to be more moderate, from what I understand.

I'm proud to be a Utah Mormon who didn't vote for Romney. It's always hilarious when my fellow Mormons ask about that.

Were you allowed to speak openly about that?

Oh yes, I was. And I have. Frequently and gleefully. It's quite fun to explain to the politically interested and moderately conservative fellow Mormons I know that I didn't vote for Obama because I'm too far to the left for him.

The only politically-active Mormons I refrain from talking about politics with are a neighboring family who are serious Paulites (which BTW are a growing group in Utah; Paul got the most non-Romney votes in the primary in Utah if I remember correctly).

[memphis]

Mormons might actually be a group where Democrats can make in-roads.  Obviously it wasn't this election with Romney, but they have a lot of college degrees as a population and are big on helping the poor in their church.  I think there is a message for them without having to pander.

In their church is the key phrase. The Mormons want the poor to feel indebted to the church, not the government. They are very much against government anti-poverty initiatives. And there's not much difference in the voting habits of those with and without a degree.

[Zioneer]

Mormons might actually be a group where Democrats can make in-roads.  Obviously it wasn't this election with Romney, but they have a lot of college degrees as a population and are big on helping the poor in their church.  I think there is a message for them without having to pander.

In their church is the key phrase. The Mormons want the poor to feel indebted to the church, not the government. They are very much against government anti-poverty initiatives. And there's not much difference in the voting habits of those with and without a degree.

It depends on what Mormon you talk to.

[King]

Mormons might actually be a group where Democrats can make in-roads.  Obviously it wasn't this election with Romney, but they have a lot of college degrees as a population and are big on helping the poor in their church.  I think there is a message for them without having to pander.

In their church is the key phrase. The Mormons want the poor to feel indebted to the church, not the government. They are very much against government anti-poverty initiatives. And there's not much difference in the voting habits of those with and without a degree.

I'm not saying they could win it, but if they can try for 35% of it, then they have a shot at making Utah competitive.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

You people are far too credulous about statistics.

[All Along The Watchtower]

Mormons might actually be a group where Democrats can make in-roads.  Obviously it wasn't this election with Romney, but they have a lot of college degrees as a population and are big on helping the poor in their church.  I think there is a message for them without having to pander.

As memphis said, religious charity is not the same thing as overall social justice. And what does having a college degree have to do with anything? Plenty of Republicans have college degrees, and many are just as right-wing on social issues as their less educated counterparts.

[King]

Mormons might actually be a group where Democrats can make in-roads.  Obviously it wasn't this election with Romney, but they have a lot of college degrees as a population and are big on helping the poor in their church.  I think there is a message for them without having to pander.

As memphis said, religious charity is not the same thing as overall social justice. And what does having a college degree have to do with anything? Plenty of Republicans have college degrees, and many are just as right-wing on social issues as their less educated counterparts.

Well, if the far right continues their education = evil elitism campaign, certainly a contrast can be set.

[memphis]

Mormons might actually be a group where Democrats can make in-roads.  Obviously it wasn't this election with Romney, but they have a lot of college degrees as a population and are big on helping the poor in their church.  I think there is a message for them without having to pander.

In their church is the key phrase. The Mormons want the poor to feel indebted to the church, not the government. They are very much against government anti-poverty initiatives. And there's not much difference in the voting habits of those with and without a degree.

I'm not saying they could win it, but if they can try for 35% of it, then they have a shot at making Utah competitive.

And if the GOP can get 35% of the black vote, they can make much of the Rust Belt competitive. It's not gonna happen.

[Starbucks Union Thug HokeyPuck]

It is pretty surprising, but c'mon... is there anyone out there more perfect for the Mormons than GEORGE W. BUSH? 

[Alcon]

You people are far too credulous about statistics.

?  No, this thread is just ignoring a component of statistics (margin of error.)  That's not the statistics' fault

[Filuwaúrdjan]

You people are far too credulous about statistics.

?  No, this thread is just ignoring a component of statistics (margin of error.)  That's not the statistics' fault

I'm very sorry that I made the statistics cry.

[Alcon]

You people are far too credulous about statistics.

?  No, this thread is just ignoring a component of statistics (margin of error.)  That's not the statistics' fault

I'm very sorry that I made the statistics cry.

I know you're trying to be cynical but it doesn't make any sense

[Filuwaúrdjan]

You people are far too credulous about statistics.

?  No, this thread is just ignoring a component of statistics (margin of error.)  That's not the statistics' fault

I'm very sorry that I made the statistics cry.

I know you're trying to be cynical but it doesn't make any sense

At three thirty in the morning? Whatever makes you think that I was trying to do anything?

[minionofmidas]

Just look at the relevant county results. 2000 ~= 2008, 2004 ~=2012. Except with the latter year tending to be a little worse in both pairs. Romney maxed out the Republican potential in Deseret, but so did Bush in 2004.