Four young Latter-day Saints say their liberal politics came from their faith, not despite it — and it exposes the gap between Church neutrality and ward culture.
A Salt Lake Tribune piece profiles Riley Cooper, Eric Biggart, Laine McPherson, and Jayden Weekes — four young, liberal members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — on how missions, ward welfare service, and Relief Society moments shaped their politics. Jess and Hannah break down YouGov data showing the GOP's shrinking advantage among Latter-day Saints, the Church's official political neutrality policy, and why "love thy neighbor" gets uncomfortable fast once you apply it to real immigration, health care, and LGBTQ policy. The old assumption that faith and one party are the same thing is doing more cultural work than doctrinal work.
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SOURCES
Tribune article: We asked four young Latter-day Saints why they lean liberal. Here’s what they said.
Axios Study: GOP losing ground among Latter-day Saints
“Political Neutrality and Participation” (2023) newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org
The Church of Jesus Christ, General Handbook of Instructions, 38. Church Participation
00:00 Political Identity Among Young Latter-day Saints
04:46 The Shift in Political Leanings
09:01 Personal Stories of Young Liberal Mormons
13:42 Cultural Tensions and Family Dynamics
17:43 Moral Language and Political Identity
22:38 Conclusion and Future Implications