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List of Mormon members of the United States Congress

This is a list of Mormons, or members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), who are serving, or have served, in the [[United States Congress}}.

Since Utah's admittance to the Union in 1896, many members of the LDS Church have been elected to the United States Congress. A majority have been from Utah (the only state with an LDS Church majority), and most of the rest from other states in the American West.

As of 2023, there are nine LDS Church members serving in Congress; three in the Senate and six in the House of Representatives. All nine are members of the Republican Party.

Senate

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Further information: Religious affiliation in the United States Senate

In addition to the senators below, former Senator Larry Pressler (R) of South Dakota joined the LDS Church after his service in Congress.[1] Senator Kyrsten Sinema (I) of Arizona grew up in the LDS Church, but left after graduating from Brigham Young University.[2] Senator Marco Rubio (R) of Florida was baptized as a child while living in Nevada but left the Church after his family moved back to Florida.[3][2]

Senator Party State Term Notes
Start End
Frank J. Cannon Republican Utah January 22, 1896 March 4, 1899 [3]
Reed Smoot Republican Utah March 4, 1903 March 4, 1933 Also served on the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.[3]
William H. King Democratic Utah March 4, 1917 January 3, 1941 [3]
Elbert D. Thomas Democratic Utah March 4, 1933 January 3, 1951 [3]
Berkeley L. Bunker Democratic Nevada November 27, 1940 December 2, 1942 [3]
Orrice Abram Murdock Jr. Democratic Utah January 3, 1941 January 3, 1947 [3]
Arthur Vivian Watkins Republican Utah January 3, 1947 January 3, 1959 [3]
Wallace F. Bennett Republican Utah January 3, 1951 December 20, 1974 [3]
Howard Cannon Democratic Nevada January 3, 1959 January 3, 1983 [3]
Frank Moss Democratic Utah January 3, 1959 January 3, 1977 [3]
Jake Garn Republican Utah December 21, 1974 January 3, 1993 [3]
Orrin Hatch Republican Utah January 3, 1977 January 3, 2019 [3]
Paula Hawkins Republican Florida January 1, 1981 January 3, 1987 First Mormon woman and first Mormon from east of the Mississippi River to serve in Congress.[3]
Harry Reid Democratic Nevada January 3, 1987 January 3, 2017 First Mormon convert to serve in the Senate.[3]
Bob Bennett Republican Utah January 3, 1993 January 3, 2011 [3]
Gordon H. Smith Republican Oregon January 3, 1997 January 3, 2009 [3]
Mike Crapo Republican Idaho January 3, 1999 Incumbent [3]
Tom Udall Democratic New Mexico January 3, 2009 January 3, 2021 [3]
Mike Lee Republican Utah January 3, 2011 Incumbent [4]
Dean Heller Republican Nevada May 9, 2011 January 3, 2019 [5]
Jeff Flake Republican Arizona January 3, 2013 January 3, 2019 [6]
Mitt Romney Republican Utah January 3, 2019 January 3, 2025 Ran unsuccessfully for president in 2008 and 2012.[7]
John Curtis Republican Utah January 3, 2025 Elect [8]

House of Representatives

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Further information: Religious affiliation in the United States House of Representatives

In addition to the representatives below, former Representative Jim Gibbons (R) of Nevada and current Senator Kyrsten Sinema (I) of Arizona grew up in the Church, but left as adults.

Representative Party District Term Notes
Start End
William H. King Democratic UT-AL March 4, 1897 March 3, 1899 Ran successfully for U.S. Senator from Utah.[3]
April 2, 1900 March 3, 1901
Joseph Howell Republican UT-AL March 4, 1903 March 3, 1913 [3]
UT-01 March 3, 1913 March 3, 1917
Milton H. Welling Democratic UT-01 March 4, 1917 March 3, 1921 [3]
Don B. Colton Republican UT-01 March 4, 1921 March 3, 1933 [3]
Orrice Abram Murdock Jr. Democratic UT-01 March 4, 1933 January 3, 1941 Ran successfully for U.S. Senator from Utah.[3]
J. W. Robinson Democratic UT-02 March 4, 1933 January 3, 1947 [3]
Walter K. Granger Democratic UT-01 January 3, 1941 January 3, 1953 [3]
Berkeley L. Bunker Democratic NV-AL January 5, 1945 January 5, 1947 Appointed U.S. Senator from Nevada.[3]
William A. Dawson Republican UT-02 January 3, 1947 January 3, 1949 [3]
January 3, 1953 January 3, 1959
Hamer H. Budge Republican ID-02 January 3, 1951 January 3, 1961 Appointed 16th chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission.[3]
John E. Moss Democratic CA-03 January 3, 1953 December 31, 1978 [3]
Douglas R. Stringfellow Republican UT-01 January 3, 1953 January 3, 1955 [3]
Henry Aldous Dixon Republican UT-01 January 3, 1955 January 3, 1961 [3]
Stewart Udall Democratic AZ-02 January 3, 1955 January 18, 1961 Appointed 37th United States Secretary of the Interior.[3]
David S. King Democratic UT-02 January 3, 1959 January 3, 1963 [3]
January 3, 1965 January 3, 1967
Ralph R. Harding Democratic ID-02 January 3, 1961 January 3, 1965 [3]
M. Blaine Peterson Democratic UT-01 January 3, 1961 January 3, 1963 [3]
Mo Udall Democratic AZ-02 May 2, 1961 May 4, 1991 Ran unsuccessfully for president in 1976.[3]
Laurence J. Burton Republican UT-01 January 3, 1963 January 3, 1971 [3]
Richard T. Hanna Democratic CA-34 January 3, 1963 December 31, 1974 [3]
Sherman P. Lloyd Republican UT-02 January 3, 1963 January 3, 1965 [3]
January 3, 1967 January 3, 1973
Del M. Clawson Republican CA-23 June 11, 1963 January 3, 1975 [3]
CA-33 January 3, 1975 December 31, 1978
Kenneth W. Dyal Democratic CA-33 January 3, 1965 January 3, 1967 [3]
George V. Hansen Republican ID-02 January 3, 1965 January 3, 1969 [3]
January 3, 1975 January 3, 1985
Orval H. Hansen Republican ID-02 January 3, 1969 January 3, 1975 [3]
K. Gunn McKay Democratic UT-01 January 3, 1971 January 3, 1981 [3]
Wayne Owens Democratic UT-02 January 3, 1973 January 3, 1975 [3]
January 3, 1987 January 3, 1993
Clair Burgener Republican CA-42 January 3, 1973 January 3, 1975 [3]
CA-43 January 3, 1975 January 3, 1983
Allan Turner Howe Democratic UT-02 January 3, 1975 January 3, 1977 [3]
Cecil Heftel Democratic HI-01 January 3, 1977 July 11, 1986 [3]
David Daniel Marriott Republican UT-02 January 3, 1977 January 3, 1985 [3]
Norman D. Shumway Republican CA-14 January 3, 1979 January 3, 1991 [3]
James V. Hansen Republican UT-01 January 3, 1981 January 3, 2003 [3]
Howard C. Nielson Republican UT-03 January 3, 1983 January 3, 1991 [3]
Ron Packard Republican CA-43 January 3, 1983 January 3, 1993 [3]
CA-48 January 3, 1993 January 3, 2001
Harry Reid Democratic NV-01 January 3, 1983 January 3, 1987 Ran successfully for U.S. Senator from Nevada.[3]
David Smith Monson Republican UT-02 January 3, 1985 January 3, 1987 [3]
Richard H. Stallings Democratic ID-02 January 3, 1985 January 3, 1993 [3]
Wally Herger Republican CA-02 January 3, 1987 January 3, 2013 [3]
John Doolittle Republican CA-14 January 3, 1991 January 3, 1993 [3]
CA-04 January 3, 1993 January 3, 2009
Bill Orton Democratic UT-03 January 3, 1991 January 3, 1997 [3]
Richard Swett Democratic NH-02 January 3, 1991 January 3, 1995 First Mormon elected to the House from a state east of the Mississippi River.[3]
Mike Crapo Republican ID-02 January 3, 1993 January 3, 1999 Ran successfully for U.S. Senator from Idaho.[3]
Ernest Istook Republican OK-05 January 3, 1993 January 3, 2007 [3]
Buck McKeon Republican CA-25 January 3, 1993 January 3, 2015 [3]
Enid Greene Mickelsen Republican UT-02 January 3, 1995 January 3, 1997 First Mormon woman to serve in the House.[3]
Matt Salmon Republican AZ-01 January 3, 1995 January 3, 2001 [3]
AZ-05 January 3, 2013 January 3, 2017
Chris Cannon Republican UT-03 January 3, 1997 January 3, 2009 [3]
Merrill Cook Republican UT-02 January 3, 1997 January 3, 2001 [3]
Mike Simpson Republican ID-02 January 3, 1999 Incumbent [3]
Tom Udall Democratic NM-03 January 3, 1999 January 3, 2009 Ran successfully for U.S. Senator from New Mexico.[3]
Jeff Flake Republican AZ-01 January 3, 2001 January 3, 2003 Ran successfully for U.S. Senator from Arizona.[6]
AZ-06 January 3, 2003 January 3, 2013
Jim Matheson Democratic UT-02 January 3, 2001 January 3, 2013 [9]
UT-04 January 3, 2013 January 3, 2015
Rob Bishop Republican UT-01 January 3, 2003 January 3, 2021 [8]
Dean Heller Republican NV-02 January 3, 2007 May 9, 2011 Ran successfully for U.S. Senator from Nevada.[5]
Jason Chaffetz Republican UT-03 January 3, 2009 June 30, 2017 [10]
Raúl Labrador Republican ID-01 January 3, 2011 January 3, 2019 First Hispanic Mormon to serve in Congress.[11]
Chris Stewart Republican UT-02 January 3, 2013 September 15, 2023 [8]
Curt Clawson Republican FL-19 June 24, 2014 January 3, 2017 [12]
Cresent Hardy Republican NV-04 January 3, 2015 January 3, 2017 [13]
Mia Love Republican UT-04 January 3, 2015 January 3, 2019 First black Mormon to serve in Congress.[8]
Andy Biggs Republican AZ-05 January 3, 2017 Incumbent [8]
John Curtis Republican UT-03 November 13, 2017 January 3, 2025 [8]
Ben McAdams Democratic UT-04 January 3, 2019 January 3, 2021 [8]
Blake Moore Republican UT-01 January 3, 2021 Incumbent [14]
Burgess Owens Republican UT-04 January 3, 2021 Incumbent First black male Mormon to serve in Congress.[15]
Celeste Maloy Republican UT-02 November 28, 2023 Incumbent [16]
Mike Kennedy Republican UT-03 January 3, 2025 Elect [17][18]

Territorial delegates

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Delegate Party District Term Notes
Start End
John Milton Bernhisel Independent Utah Territory March 4, 1851 March 3, 1859 [3]
William Henry Hooper Democratic Utah Territory March 4, 1859 March 3, 1861 [3]
George Q. Cannon Republican Utah Territory March 4, 1873 February 25, 1882 Also served on the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and as First Counselor in the First Presidency.[3]
John Thomas Caine Democratic Utah Territory November 7, 1882 March 3, 1893 [3]
Frank J. Cannon Republican Utah Territory March 4, 1895 January 4, 1896 [3]
Eni Faleomavaega Democratic American Samoa January 3, 1989 January 3, 2015 [3]

Elected to the House of Representatives, but not seated

[edit]
Representative Party District Year elected Notes
B. H. Roberts Democratic UT-AL 1898 Not seated due to his practice of polygamy[19]

See also

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References

[edit]
  1. ^ Shill, Aaron (April 21, 2015). "Spiritual journey leads 3-term U.S. senator to LDS Church". Deseret News. Retrieved June 21, 2020.
  2. ^ a b Roig-Franzia, Manuel (January 13, 2013). "Congress' first openly bisexual member grew up Mormon, graduated from Brigham Young University". Standard Examiner. Archived from the original on November 22, 2015. Retrieved November 22, 2015.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be bf bg bh bi bj bk bl bm bn bo bp bq br bs bt bu bv bw bx King, Robert R.; King, Kay Atkinson (2000). "Mormons in Congress, 1851-2000". Journal of Mormon History. 26 (2): 1–50. JSTOR 23288216.
  4. ^ Rucker, Philip (February 5, 2011). "Sen. Mike Lee: A political insider refashions himself as tea party revolutionary". Washington Post.
  5. ^ a b "Dean Heller Biography". Dean Heller Senate. Retrieved November 18, 2014.
  6. ^ a b Lynch, Michael W. (February 2001). "Soundbite: The Missionary's Positions". Reason Magazine. Retrieved July 28, 2007.
  7. ^ Miroff, Nick (July 21, 2011). "In besieged Mormon colony, Mitt Romney's Mexican roots". Washington Post. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g Swensen, Jason (January 28, 2019). "U.S. Congress Includes 10 Latter-day Saints—the Fewest Number in a Decade". The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Retrieved June 21, 2020.
  9. ^ Jerry Spangler (January 31, 2005). "Mormon Democrats Link up in Congress". Deseret Morning News. Archived from the original on July 19, 2012. Retrieved November 9, 2006.
  10. ^ Goldberg, J. J. (January 15, 2010). "Meet Jewish Senators 14, 15 – and 16? Plus: the House GOP's Jewish Mormon". The Jewish Daily Forward. Retrieved November 18, 2011.
  11. ^ Weaver, Sara Jane (January 8, 2011). "15 Mormons serving in U.S. Congress". The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Retrieved June 21, 2020.
  12. ^ Mohammad, Alex E. J. (January 25, 2015). "LDS in Senate and House of Representatives". Retrieved June 21, 2020.
  13. ^ Phillips, Amber (January 29, 2015). "Sen. Dean Heller says Mormon church has always preached equal rights". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved June 21, 2020.
  14. ^ Davidson, Lee (July 13, 2020). "How Utahn Blake Moore went from a political unknown to GOP nominee for Congress". Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
  15. ^ Raftery, Kay (June 17, 1997). "Pro Football Players Share Their Mormon Faith Ty Detmer, Burgess Owens And Vai Sikahema Told A Packed Sanctuary Of The Role Of Religion In Their Lives". Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on October 21, 2013. Retrieved February 28, 2015.
  16. ^ Kimball, Spencer (November 22, 2023). "Republican Celeste Maloy wins Utah's 2nd Congressional District". CNBC. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  17. ^ "Mike Kennedy — Doctor, lawyer, legislator". Deseret News. August 16, 2015. Retrieved November 8, 2024.
  18. ^ undefined, The Associated Press (November 5, 2024). "Republican Mike Kennedy wins election to U.S. House in Utah's 3rd Congressional District". KUTV. Retrieved November 8, 2024.
  19. ^ Roberts, Brigham H (1965). A Comprehensive History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Vol. 6. Provo, Utah: Brigham Young University Press. ISBN 0-8425-0482-6.