These Mormon women are rejecting Trump, fraying GOP support in a key state

[Jilly_in_VA]

It was Annie Lewis' idea to put a "Republicans for Biden" sign in the front yard in the lead-up to 2020. For her, it came down to civility. As a teacher for over a decade, the mother of six little ones, and a lifelong member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, she felt then-President Trump did not show true leadership.

"I was embarrassed anytime a clip of Trump, at that time, was on and my children were in the room," Lewis said.

Lewis was not alone in her thinking. In 2020, GOP residents of Maricopa County in Arizona banded together to stand up against Trump. The signs were created by Dan Barker, a leader in the Maricopa County LDS community and former GOP-appointed judge, who wanted to find a way to support Biden without giving up his lifelong Republican identity.

His wife, Nan, was the one who pushed him to have a sign.

"She probably got there quicker than I did," said Barker, who in 2020 started the political action committee Arizona Republicans Who Believe in Treating Others with Respect. "I just wasn't quite comfortable identifying with the Democratic Party. And so for me, I said, hey, well, I'd rather do something like, 'Republicans for Biden.' "

https://www.npr.org/2024/04/14/1242051595/trump-arizona-mormon-lds-republican-voters

I don't care how we get 'em, keep 'em coming!

[RainCaster]

1. When a patriarchal group like the LDS turns away from the GOP, you know there's a problem

I would say it's a big problem. How soon will the Catholics follow?

[70sEraVet]

3. Religous leaders don't usually like their followers thinking for themselves.

Trouble in Paradise.
But, as John Lewis used to say, "get in good trouble"!

[LiberalFighter]

10. The priests not as likely.

[BlueWaveNeverEnd]

2. there is hope

[paleotn]

4. Mormons in general have never been all that enamored with Trump.

[SleeplessinSoCal]

5. i understand his inability to switch over.

At 21 I registered as a Democrat because they/we put people first. Then seeing Watergate from the UK, turned me off. But I couldn't register as a Republican even though I voted for Reagan, twice!!! Mea culpa...

It was the 1994 backlash to Clinton that got my brain working again. Along with Al Franken's "Rush Limbaugh is a Big, Fat Idiot". Registered as a Democrat for good ASAP.

[niyad]

6. May I ask, were we to understand that Watergate turned you off

Democrats? Or the political process in general? I apologize if I am misunderstanding.

[Lucky Luciano]

9. I'm guessing he meant to say he registered as a republican cuz it doesn't make sense as is.

[SleeplessinSoCal]

11. I was following the hearings via the BBC.

I hated Nixon and was very upset when he won. But the way the hearings were covered by the BBC lent sympathy for Nixon. It seemed like a bloodbath from over there. Plus his name was part of the American Memorial Chappel at Saint Paul's Cathedral. Now I realize that was strategy to give him more recognition on the world stage.such naiveté.

Later, I actually worked with Sen. Frank Church's son, Forrest Church, in church.

"He was Senior Minister of the Unitarian Church of All Souls in New York City, until late 2006 when he was appointed as Minister of Public Theology. He wrote about Christianity, Gnosticism, religious liberty in the US tradition, and his own father, a US Senator."

He died at 61. He would've be horrified by where we are today. In my defense I also came very slowly to understanding American politics and learning about the influence of Ayn Rand and the Evangelical Christianists. And how the most loathsome among us abuse their religion for political gain.

About Forrest:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forrest_Church?wprov=sfla1

[niyad]

12. Thank you for that helpful perspective.

[Mme. Defarge]

7. Jackassery!

Always good to learn new vocabulary.

[calimary]

8. That is a FANTASTIC one.

Jackassery! I can think of lots of people and political movements greatly deserving of that label.