Trump, Biden seeks voters of recent days in battlefield states

Vice President Mike Pence traveled to Arizona on Tuesday in an effort to persuade a small but potentially powerful coalition to give President Donald Trump another four years in office – members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

During a 40-minute speech in a hotel room in Mesa, Pence sought the support of the Trump administration for religious freedom and the “sanctity of life” to contrast with what he called Democratic nominee Joe Biden’s “socialist” agenda.

“On issues that are most important to people of faith in this country – issues such as life and religious freedom – Joe Biden and the radical left are deeply out of step with the American people,” Pence said. “However, I am proud to tell you, this president has stood every day of this administration for the religious freedom of every American of every faith.”

During that campaign, Trump acknowledged that he had an ‘enormous problem in Utah’, where many of the 2.1 million members of the LDS state expressed displeasure with his inflammatory style and rhetoric about women and immigrants. And although Trump won the Beehive State, he earned the lowest percentage of votes among GOP presidential candidates in Utah since 1992.

Nationally, Trump received 61% of the LDS votes. That was the strongest support among any religious demographic, except for Evangelicals, according to data from exit polls from the Pew Research Center. But it was still far below what is expected for some of the most visited and true GOP voters.

Rep. Kim Coleman, a West Jordanian Republican who ran an unsuccessful congressional campaign in the state’s 4th district this year, was at the Late-Day Saints for Trump Coalition launch event in Arizona on Tuesday.

“So much for the agenda of President Trump and Vice President Pence [is] consistent with and crucial to some of the things that matter most to Latter-day Saints: faith, family, freedom, pro-life, and religious freedom, ‘she said in a statement. “It is a natural coalition, and I am sure it will grow and have an impact on these elections. I’m excited to be a part of it. ”

But because the Trump campaign is trying to increase the support of this group, it is unlikely that Latter-day Saints in deep red Utah will receive the same kind of attention as those in Arizona, which is a battlefield state. Both campaigns expect Utah to be in Trump’s column on election day.

Retaining support among even the handful of members of the religious community in Arizona could make a difference for Trump, said Matthew Burbank, a professor of political science at the University of Utah.

‘I think the big thing [the Trump campaign is] interested in doing so is probably not trying to convert anyone at this point, but is really trying to remind the group that is generally trustworthy Republican, why they are trustworthy Republican, “Burbank said.

Jeff Merchant, chairman of the Utah Democratic Party, said he sees Trump’s attempt to target Latter-day Saint voters as a “giant red flag” showing the Republican Party and the president know they are in really, really big problems. “

“They recognize that they need to start winning groups that will not vote for them because of the approach they have taken and the type of people they are,” he said.

But Trump is not the only candidate persecuting members of the faith. Biden is also making a play for Latter-day Saint voters in an election in which some Democrats see an opportunity to draw Republicans who have become disillusioned.

Rob Taber, national co-chair of the LDS Democrats of America, said Biden has held off-the-record listening sessions with members of the faith in recent months. And he called the campaign’s efforts “the most enduring faith outcome we have ever seen in principle from a Democratic presidential campaign.”

He believes Latter-day Saints are looking for a candidate who fits their values ​​and that when it’s time to vote for Biden or Trump, they can cast their ballot for the Democrat.

“The Trump campaign is there for sure and they are active” in recalling The Latter-day Saints, he said. ‘But we have four years of his record and the last time he was at a church, he tore up peaceful protesters to get there. We want to say, ‘By their fruits we will know them.’ And now we have four years of fruit of fear and division and hatred and bigotry and that has really upset many LDS voters. ”

Joshua Dickson, the national director of trust for the Biden campaign, said in a written statement to The Salt Lake Tribune that the vision of the former vice president for America “is rooted in values ​​that resonate deeply with people. of faith – our closest love, each treating others with dignity and respect, and giving families and everyone in our country the opportunity to flourish and build self-confidence. ”

“Latter-day Saints see stark contrast between Vice President Biden’s family first, occasional agenda and President Trump’s ongoing attempts to separate children from their parents, put children in cages, abuse his power, seek refuge for the stranger to deny and normalize racism and incivility, ”Dickson continued.

As with Trump’s campaign, Merchant said he expects Biden’s team to devote most of its resources to Latter-day Saints living in places like Arizona and New Mexico.

In those states, even convincing a small number of Latter-day Saint voters to cross the aisle could make a big difference in the blowing of the state, he said. That does not happen in conservative Utah.

“Right now – today, as we look to 2020 – there are areas where they can get a big reward with a little effort. And Utah will just take a little more time, a little more energy and a little more money, ”Merchant said. “In 2024, 2028, I think you will see more of an effort here and I think it will pay off.”

But Taber claims that neither Utah voters nor voters of the Holy Saints will vote broadly in large numbers to give a statement to party leaders that change is needed.

“Even if Biden does not run Utah this year, if it is much closer than normal to a presidential election, that would really wake up the national Republican Party and say, ‘Oh, we need to stop targeting LDS voters.’ , “he said. ‘If the voice of Latter-day Saints splits 60/40 instead of 80/20, [they’ll realize], ‘Oh people have their own thoughts. Instead of assuming they will volunteer and vote and donate, we should stop and listen. ‘”

Pence will travel to Utah at least once this campaign season. On October 7, he will debate Biden’s newly elected vice presidential candidate, sen. Kamala Harris, of the University of Utah.

Pence welcomed Harris to the race at his event on Tuesday, at the same time criticizing her as a member of the “radical left”, which he said has an agenda to raise taxes, open borders, socialize medicines and “abortion on demand. “

“My message to the Democratic candidate for Vice President: Congratulations. I’ll see you in Salt Lake City, “he said.

The Vice President concludes his remarks with an encouragement to Latter-day Saints to ‘bow their heads and kneel’ in prayer over the coming months – not necessarily for a specific candidate or cause, but for America itself.

“To all the Latter-day Saints before Trump, I thank you for your support and I go here with confidence that with your continued support and prayers … and with four more years of President Donald Trump in the White House, we are will make America prosperous more than ever before, ”said Pence. “We will make America safer than ever before. We will heal our country and we will make America great again. ”