Harry Reid, A Mormon in the Middle

[Elphaba]

Harry Reid: A Mormon in the middle - Salt Lake Tribune

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid keeps a copy of the Book of Mormon in his office just off the chamber floor. There's a second copy handy to give away to someone in need of spiritual guidance.

"I've had more than that," says the Nevada Democrat, pulling the extra edition from his desk drawer. "I have one left."

The Temple-recommend-carrying Reid is very active in his church, say fellow members in the Washington area. But that may come as a shock to some Mormon critics who contend that the Senate leader's political stands put him at odds with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The latest round of religiously charged criticism came after Reid told gay rights groups in a private meeting that the LDS Church's efforts to back the anti-gay marriage Proposition 8 in California was a waste of resources and hurt the faith's missionary efforts.

Elphaba

[BenRaines]

I know that he is not popular any longer in Nevada. His core support group in Nevada has been lost. I think more from his vote against a constitutional amendment to recognize only a marriage between a man and a woman. The state of Nevada voted twice by more that 70% in favor of an amendment, twice. Yet he voted his party and not his constituents.

Ben Raines

[talisyn]

*sigh*

[Moksha]

Politically, wouldn't Reid be better off not being associated with Mormons in Nevada? Were Mormons among his supporters anyway?

[bluedreams]

I know that he is not popular any longer in Nevada. His core support group in Nevada has been lost. I think more from his vote against a constitutional amendment to recognize only a marriage between a man and a woman. The state of Nevada voted twice by more that 70% in favor of an amendment, twice. Yet he voted his party and not his constituents.

The article disagrees with you:

The senator says he voted in Nevada for the state constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage.

with luv,

BD

[Just_A_Guy]

In the Senator's defense, I'd have voted against a federal ban on gay marriage as well--simply out of federalist concerns (I think marriage ought to be purely an issue of state law, not federal law).

That said: Combining his alienation of the traditionally Mormon bloc with the typical Republican penchant for trying to knock out party leaders when they're up for re-election, I think Reid has an uphill battle. And when you consider the Tribune's own politics, it suddenly becomes "very clear" why they're pitching in to reconcile him to his Mormon electoral base.

[Moksha]

So was Reid right about it hurting the missionary efforts of the Church? I know it didn't win us any friends with the "You've got a different Jesus crowd", even when you would expect them to agree.

[BenRaines]

I was in Nevada at the time, Harry Reid did use the excuse that it was a state's rights issue to vote against the national amendment to recognize marriage as only between a man and a woman. He then later called and asked for a special conference call with all the stake presidents in Las Vegas so he could plead his case before them to try to avoid losing his voting base. Yes many LDS in Nevada voted for Harry Reid several times. As he has risen in the party of the Democrats and has voted, as a representative of the state, against what the majority of the state electorate had elected him to do he has lost support.

Ben Raines