What Is With Utah This Year?

[Ricky1121]

2012
Romney (R): 72.62%
Obama (D): 24.69%

2016 Polls
Trump (R): 36%
Clinton (D): 29%

Trump (R): 43%
Clinton (D): 30%

Trump (R): 38%
Clinton (D): 38%

Clinton (D): 38%
Trump (R): 36%

Why would Utah's vote shift this far away from the last election?

[Mallow]

Ah, you're new here. This was a very heavily discussed topic for several months here. The short answer is that Mormons loved Romney (a fellow Mormon), and hate Trump (they see him as unforgivably immoral).

[Redban]

60% of its residents belong to the Church of Latter Day Saints:

https://www.ksl.com/?sid=28799562

That Trump has a well-publicized feud with Mitt Romney, a Mormon, might be the cause.

[Sir Mohamed]

Drumpf is an awful fit for this state. Mormons can’t stand him for his intemperance and xenophobic rhetoric. They are more libertarian conservative, and the Trumpster as an alt-right authoritarian.  

[LLR]

Trump got 15% in the primary on a day in which he handily won a neighboring state. Why, you ask?
Religious folks, and especially Mormen, hate him. Mormons are a terrible demographic for him in many ways, and many are opting to vote Clinton or third party. Add that Romney got yuuuuge turnout there in 2012, and this stuff happens.

[Podgy the Bear]

I wonder if Misty Snow and Mike Weinholtz can win the Senate/gubernatorial race in Utah? Lee and Herbert are pretty vulnerable with Trump at the top of the ticket.

I suspect there will be considerable ticket splitting this year.  And Utah is so strongly Republican (and Lee has no love for Trump) that even if Trump struggles, both Lee and Herbert should win easily.

[Xing]

Mormons hate Trump, and there's no state where that makes a bigger difference than Utah (though it's another reason why I'm optimistic about Arizona, and confident that Hillary will win Nevada.)

[RINO Tom]

Educated, wealthy (yet humble!) liberals have invaded and made the state better.  This is, you see, the only reason any state votes Democrat, and it will eventually happen everywhere except for a select few designated hellholes (current draft includes WV, KY, TN, AR, OK; LA is up in the air, depends on how much fun DWS has in New Orleans on her next trip) the DNC shall designate as Republican holdouts.

[Senator-elect Spark]

Muh Mormons

[Attorney General, LGC Speaker, and Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

I wonder if Misty Snow and Mike Weinholtz can win the Senate/gubernatorial race in Utah? Lee and Herbert are pretty vulnerable with Trump at the top of the ticket.

I suspect there will be considerable ticket splitting this year.  And Utah is so strongly Republican (and Lee has no love for Trump) that even if Trump struggles, both Lee and Herbert should win easily.

Ticket splitting doesn't happen anymore these days. If Utah is within 5 points, Lee and Herbert are dead men walking. They can't run away from Trump. This strategy didn't work for Democrats in 2010 and 2014 either. 

Uh, ND/MT/IN/MO 2012, IL 2014 (Durbin/Rauner), MD 2014 (Dem Rep./Hogan). The evidence exists for a general decline in ticket splitting over the years, but to say it simply doesn't happen anymore is absurd.

[defe07]

Muh Mormons

Muh-rmons!!

[Wisconsin+17]

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Lee is solidly #nevertrump, and this election will set records for Ticket splitting. Hell, Rubio will probably run 15 points better than Trump.

[dspNY]

Trump is considered an evil heathen by Utah Mormons who don't like evil heathens

[Ebowed]

Donald Trump is a vulgar man who engages in self-worship.  He does not honor God in his personal life, nor in his policy proposals.  He says we should ban a religious minority from the country.  He wants to split up families through mass deportations.

This is not family values.

[RI]

Donald Trump is a vulgar man who engages in self-worship.  He does not honor God in his personal life, nor in his policy proposals.  He says we should ban a religious minority from the country.  He wants to split up families through mass deportations.

For Mormons, it's mostly the last two, but especially the Muslim ban that really turn them off to him.

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

Educated, wealthy (yet humble!) liberals have invaded and made the state better.  This is, you see, the only reason any state votes Democrat, and it will eventually happen everywhere except for a select few designated hellholes (current draft includes WV, KY, TN, AR, OK; LA is up in the air, depends on how much fun DWS has in New Orleans on her next trip) the DNC shall designate as Republican holdouts.

Burgeoning tech sector in Cheyenne will turn Wyoming lean democratic in three cycles fwiw