Latter Day Saint political history - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

This is a chronological listing of significant events surrounding Latter Day Saints seeking or winning political office. It refers primarily to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but also some members of other Latter Day Saint movement

Latter Day Saint movement

The Latter Day Saint movement is a group of independent churches tracing their origin to a Christian primitivist movement founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. in the late 1820s. Collectively, these churches have over 14 million members...

religions, such as Community of Christ

Community of Christ

The Community of Christ, known from 1872 to 2001 as the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints , is an American-based international Christian church established in April 1830 that claims as its mission "to proclaim Jesus Christ and promote communities of joy, hope, love, and peace"...

(formerly the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints). In addition to listing events chronologically, political firsts are noted. This list is very incomplete.

1838

John Corrill

John Corrill was an early member and leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and an elected representative in the Missouri State Legislature...

elected to the Missouri House of Representatives

Missouri House of Representatives

The Missouri House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the Missouri General Assembly. It has 163 members, representing districts with an average size of 31,000 residents. House members are elected for two-year terms during general elections held in even-numbered years.In 1992 Missouri...

This was the first Latter Day Saint elected to a state office in any state.

1841

William B. Smith

William Smith (Mormonism)

William Smith was a leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and one of the original members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Smith was the eighth child of Joseph Smith, Sr...

elected to the Illinois House of Representatives

Illinois House of Representatives

The Illinois House of Representatives is the lower house of the Illinois General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Illinois. The body was created by the first Illinois Constitution adopted in 1818. The state House of Representatives is made of 118 representatives elected from...

This was the first Latter Day Saint elected to a state office in Illinois.

This was the first time a member of the Smith Family

Smith (family)

The Smith family is the name of a U.S. family with many members prominent in religion and politics; this article focuses only on those with political and civic activity...

was elected to office.

1842

Joseph Smith, Jr. elected Mayor of Nauvoo

Nauvoo, Illinois

Nauvoo is a small city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. Although the population was just 1,063 at the 2000 census, and despite being difficult to reach due to its location in a remote corner of Illinois, Nauvoo attracts large numbers of visitors for its historic importance and its...

1844

Joseph Smith, Jr. declares himself a candidate for President of the United States

President of the United States

The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....

. He is assassinated during his campaign.

This was the first Latter Day Saint to run for President.

This was the first Latter Day Saint assassinated in office (as Mayor of Nauvoo).

1850

Brigham Young

Brigham Young was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and a settler of the Western United States. He was the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death in 1877, he founded Salt Lake City, and he served as the first governor of the Utah...

is appointed Governor of Utah Territory.

This is the first Latter Day Saint to hold a U.S. governorship.

1853

Jefferson Hunt

Jefferson Hunt was a U.S. western pioneer, soldier, and politician. He was a captain in the Mormon Battalion, brigadier general in the California State Militia, a California State Assemblyman, and a representative to the Utah Territorial Legislature.-Early years:Hunt was born to John Hunt and...

is elected to the California State Assembly

California State Assembly

The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. There are 80 members in the Assembly, representing an approximately equal number of constituents, with each district having a population of at least 420,000...

This is the first Latter Day Saint elected to state office in California.

James J. Strang is elected to the Michigan Legislature

Michigan Legislature

The Michigan Legislature is the legislative assembly of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is organized as a bicameral body consisting of the Senate, the upper house, and the House of Representatives, the lower house. Article IV of the state's Constitution, adopted in 1963, defines the role of the...

This is the first Latter Day Saint elected to state office in Michigan.

1855

James J. Strang is reelected to the Michigan Legislature.

1858

Brigham Young removed from office as Governor of Utah.

1896

Utah gains statehood.

Martha Hughes Cannon

Martha Maria Hughes Cannon was a Welsh-born immigrant to the United States, a physician, Utah women's rights advocate and suffragist, and Utah state senator...

first woman elected to any state senate in U.S. history (Utah).

Heber Manning Wells

Heber Manning Wells was an American politician and the first Governor of the State of Utah. Utah gained statehood January 4, 1896; Wells served as governor from January 6, 1896 until January 2, 1905.-Biography:...

elected Utah Governor.

This is the first Latter Day Saint to be Utah governor since Brigham Young.

This is the first Latter Day Saint to be elected governor of any state.

Frank J. Cannon elected U.S. Senator from Utah

First Latter Day Saint elected to the Senate. (Cannon later left the Church and became a bitter anti-Mormon.)

1902

Reed Smoot

Reed Smoot (U. S. Senator)

Reed Owen Smoot was a native-born Utahn who was first elected to the United States Senate from Utah in 1903, and served as a Senator until 1933...

elected to the U.S. Senate in Utah.

First Latter Day Saint General Authority elected to the Senate.

1911

Israel A. Smith elected to the Iowa State Legislature.

First direct descendant of Latter Day Saint movement

Latter Day Saint movement

founder Joseph Smith, Jr. to be elected to political office.

1922

George Sutherland

Alexander George Sutherland was an English-born U.S. jurist and political figure. One of four appointments to the Supreme Court by President Warren G. Harding, he served as an Associate Justice of the U.S...

appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court.

1928

J. Reuben Clark

Joshua Reuben Clark, Jr. was an American attorney, civil servant, and a prominent leader in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . Born in Grantsville, Utah Territory, Clark was a prominent attorney in the Department of State, and Under Secretary of State for US president Calvin Coolidge...

appointed U.S. Undersecretary of State.

1930

J. Reuben Clark appointed U.S. Ambassador to Mexico.

1940

Berkeley Bunker appointed U.S. Senator from Nevada.

First Latter Day Saint to hold national office from Nevada.

First Latter Day Saint U.S. Senator from outside Utah.

1944

Berkeley Bunker elected to U.S. House of Representatives from Nevada.

1953

Ezra Taft Benson

Ezra Taft Benson was the thirteenth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1985 until his death and was United States Secretary of Agriculture for both terms of the presidency of Dwight D. Eisenhower.-Biography:Born on a farm in Whitney, Idaho, Benson was the oldest of...

appointed U.S. Secretary of Agriculture.

Ivy Baker Priest

Ivy Baker Priest was an American political figure. Born in Kimberly, Utah, she was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints....

appointed U.S. Treasurer.

1961

Stewart Udall

Stewart Lee Udall was an American politician. After serving three terms as a congressman from Arizona, he served as Secretary of the Interior from 1961 to 1969, under Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B...

appointed U.S. Secretary of the Interior.

1962

George W. Romney

George Wilcken Romney was an American businessman and Republican Party politician. He was chairman and CEO of American Motors Corporation from 1954 to 1962, the 43rd Governor of Michigan from 1963 to 1969, and the United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development from 1969 to 1973...

elected Governor of Michigan.

1968

George W. Romney

declares candidacy for President of the United States (as Republican).

1969

David Matthew Kennedy appointed U.S. Secretary of Treasury.

George W. Romney

appointed U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.

1976

Mo Udall

Morris King "Mo" Udall was an American politician who served as a U.S. Representative from Arizona from May 2, 1961 to May 4, 1991...

declares candidacy for President of the United States (as Democrat).

1980

Paula Hawkins

Paula Hawkins was an U.S. politician from Florida. She is to date the only woman elected to the U.S. Senate from Florida. She was the first woman ever elected to a full term in the Senate without a family connection....

elected to U.S. Senate from Florida.

1981

Terrel Bell

Terrel Howard Bell was the Secretary of Education in the Cabinet of President Ronald Reagan.-Early life and career:...

appointed U.S. Secretary of Education.

1982

Bay Buchanan

Angela Marie Buchanan

-External links:***...

baptized into LDS Church as sitting U.S. Treasurer.

Harry Reid

Harry Mason Reid is the senior United States Senator from Nevada, serving since 1987. A member of the Democratic Party, he has been the Senate Majority Leader since January 2007, having previously served as Minority Leader and Minority and Majority Whip.Previously, Reid was a member of the U.S...

wins election as a representative from Nevada.

1985

Jake Garn

Edwin Jacob "Jake" Garn is an American politician, a member of the Republican Party, and served as a U.S. Senator representing Utah from 1974 to 1993...

becomes first sitting U.S. Senator to fly in space.

1986

Harry Reid

wins election as a Senator from Nevada.

1988

Evan Mecham

Evan Mecham was the 17th Governor of Arizona. A decorated veteran of World War II, Mecham earned his living as an automotive dealership owner and occasional newspaper publisher...

impeached and removed from office as Governor of Arizona

1999

Three members of the Udall family serve in Congress simulataneously. Two are LDS.

2000

Orrin Hatch

Orrin Grant Hatch is the senior United States Senator for Utah and is a member of the Republican Party. Hatch served as the chairman or ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee from 1993 to 2005...

declares candidacy for President of the United States (as Republican).

2002

Mitt Romney

Willard Mitt Romney is an American businessman and politician. He was the 70th Governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007 and is a candidate for the 2012 Republican Party presidential nomination.The son of George W...

elected Governor of Massachusetts.

2004

Harry Reid

becomes the Democratic Leader of the United States Senate, and the Senate Minority leader

2005

Michael O. Leavitt appointed U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services.

2007

Harry Reid becomes Senate Majority Leader

Mitt Romney

announces his candidacy for the U.S. presidency.

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