There have been several analyses lately to the effect that Mitt Romney’s presidential chances have gotten a boost because of the universal health care plan he helped broker in Massachusetts. This is one of the best articles on the subject.
It included the following tidbit:
Indeed, it’s quite possible that what can only be described as anti-Mormon sentiment cost former Republican congressman Matt Salmon the Arizona governor’s office in 2002. Call it bigotry or old-fashioned identity politics, the Mormon Church will be issue, whether publicly or behind-the-scenes.
This has probably been discussed elsewhere in the Bloggernacle, but I missed it. What do we think about this claim? Did Salmon lose because of anti-Mormon bias?
UPDATE: Here is a good analysis of the Romney-supported health care plan in Mass.
Prior to Salmon’s candidacy, the last Mormon governor of Arizona was (unless I’m forgetting somebody) Evan Mecham If anti-Mormon bias didn’t keep Mecham out, I don’t see how it could have kept Salmon out, unless Mecham poisoned the well.
From the Washington Monthly:
“In that campaign, Democratic state attorney general Janet Napolitano faced popular Republican congressman Matt Salmon for the open governor’s seat. A month before election day, the race was neck-and-neck, when a third-party candidate named Dick Mahoney began running a television commercial that raised Salmon’s Mormonism in the context of a Mormon fundamentalist sect that openly practices polygamy on the Arizona/Utah border. The ad was offensive and was immediately denounced by religious and political leaders. It was also effective.”
David, thanks for that. I remember hearing about that now.
Mecham was pretty controversial if I recall by canceling MLK day and defending some pretty politically incorrect remarks.
Oh, and he was impeached too.
But that was in the late 1980’s so hopefully his legacy doesn’t continue to hurt LDS politicians in AZ.
Last Lemming, I am assuming your statement asking whether Mecham might have “poisoned the well” is a joke. Mecham was impeached after fifteen months in office during which his racist (and other ridiculous)statments proved him to be the worst public relations disaster for the Church in Arizona history. His name is, quite simply, an embarrasement to all in the state that remember him (except a tiny, hardcore group of Mormons that seem to beleive he was treated unfairly).
Kleermaker,
What joke? I’m well aware of Mecham’s reputation. That’s why I brought his name up. I was wondering if Mecham’s legacy has rubbed off on other LDS politicians. David Sundwall seems to think it might not have. Can I assume that you disagree?
Matt Salmon lost because he is a mediocre politician with no backing by his party. I lived in AZ at the time, and he made no bones about campaigning in church i.e. – ‘special’ RS, SS, and Priesthood classes (I sat through at least three of these by both him and his wife and he wasnt even in my STAKE or MISSION) on ‘our country’ in which he told schmaltzy stories about the sacred calling of mormon congressmen, how GWB is ordained of God, the LDS members responsibility to the republican party and how statements by GBH supported that, and in later ‘follow -up’ meetings after he lost actually rebuked members for not doing their patriotic duty and voting, because ‘if all the members had voted in AZ he would have won’. (can you imagnine? We had brought a friend to chruch one of these sundays and he walked out! That was a fun thing to try and salvage…)
Sorry end of rant.
Mitt Romney’s part in this Massachusetts plan is despicable. If I lived in a swing state I’d probably vote for his Democrat opponent just to keep him from further dishonoring the Church on a national level.
Could you expand on that Roy?
My closest friend and fishing companion for the last 20 years here in Ketchikan, Alaska was also my Bishop for five years and called to that office long after we had become good friends. His name is Ed Mecham, and his father Willard Mecham is the brother and former campaign manager of Evan Mecham, impeached governor of Arizona. I have spent many happy hours fishing with Willard as well as his son Ed.
All of Evan Mecham’s troubles in Arizona occurred after I moved from Arizona to Alaska in 1985. I didn’t even know who he was when I lived in Arizona. With that said, I would like to testify that the whole Mecham family including their in-laws are among the most humble, Christlike and sweetest people I have ever met. I am married outside of my own race to an Hispanic immigrant from El Salvador, and in our ward, the Mechams have taken us in and made us part of their family more than any other family in the ward. And any Latter-day Saint from Arizona can testify to you that racial prejudice among the Mormons there towards Hispanic people is rampant. The way that family has loved me and my wife and our three Hispanic children is remarkable, all the more so because the family is from Arizona where my wife experienced first hand the anti-Hispanic prejudice among the saints while she was studying for her master’s degree at ASU in Tempe.
I simply do not believe the slanderous things that have been said about Evan Mecham. They could not be true. His politics are to the right of Atilla the Hun, but the man himself is valiant in the testimony of Jesus, a man who truly loves his neighbor as himself.
About fifteen years ago I read High Crimes and Misdemeanors: The Term and Trials of Former Governor Evan Mecham which pretend to be a scholarly treatment of Evan Mecham’s problems in Arizona. Anyone who reads that book can clearly see the irrational bias against Mecham. Two of the crimes most often mentioned by the author is that Mecham is a very short man, and he wore polyester suits instead of the natural fibers like wool and cotton that more typify the Ivy League set.
From the very beginning, the ruling clique in Arizona power politics despised the man because he wasn’t one of the guys. He may have said some stupid things while in office, but probably no more than any other person would have said in the same situation. We all say dumb things from time to time. But the national media and the Arizona Republic newspaper in Phoenix focused their spotlight on every gaffe and mistake he made in a way they would never have done to someone who was part of the in crowd. His experience is undoubtedly why so many good Latter-day Saints don’t have any desire to get into politics, and why our nation and most of our states are ruled by men who are so corrupt.
I doubt that Mitt Romney could expect any better treatment if he were to run for President unless he were to sell his soul to the devil and the in crowd that rules Washington, D.C. I personally don’t believe he could get the Republican nomination, and I hope he doesn’t try for it. If he were to gain the approval of the national press and those who have the nominating process locked up in the national Republican Party, I would lose a lot of respect for him. As it is, I think it is remarkable that he has been able to achieve the governorship in a state that is famous for being liberal and the like of Ted Kennedy.
Oh, I almost forgot. After Evan Mecham was impeached in Arizona he was tried on seven felony charges and acquitted of every single one. Isn’t that interesting? If he had been guilty of all he was accused of, they would have hung him in minute. It isn’t like they didn’t try.
Evan Mecham may well be a decent man, and he may not have been guilty of the crimes (either bribery or campaign finance matters, I don’t remember) that he was impeached for.
But, he was an idiot. Anybody who in the 1980’s refers to African American children as “pickaninnies” deserves to be castigated for the insensitive buffoon that he is.
And speaking of Japanese (or other Asians, I don’t remember), saying their “eyes got round” with excitement about some good news or other, is another sign that the man should have had his mouth surgically sealed shut.
And this all resulted in more embarrassment to the church than Steve Benson. And, rather than apologizing for the stupid things he said, he tried to explain how they weren’t really bad after all.
Note to John W. Redelfs: Truth by definition cannot be slander. Ev Mecham said these things. Unless some ventriloquist was using him as his dummy.
Track Romney here: http://romneyreport.blogspot.com/
“And speaking of Japanese (or other Asians, I don’t remember), saying their “eyes got round” with excitement about some good news or other, is another sign that the man should have had his mouth surgically sealed shut.”
Any reason to think this was racially motivated? Saying that someone’s ‘eyes got round’ with excitement is an established cliche. (which is not to say that Gov. Mecham wasn’t a boor, because he obviously was).
My point in defending Mecham wasn’t an attempt to defend the stupid things he said. I wanted to point out that we all say stupid things, and it is politics that determines which of our stupid sayings get put on the front page. Those national figures that we admire most would undoubtedly have a lot of trouble with the things they say, if the media was anxious and willing to put their every stupid remark or gaffe on network television news.
Mecham was crucified because of his politics, not because of his stupid remarks. Many of those howling the loudest about the things he said have said worse themselves. They just never had it picked up by the media and shouted from the housetops.
Clark #9: Speaking as a libertarian, I think the Massachusetts plan is horrible because it is anti-freedom.
That, and the math simply doesn’t add up. It attacks the supply problem by legislating demand.
The nations of Europe are retreating from their failed social welfare architecture, while the United States is rushing headlong into it.
It would be interesting to see who’s LDS membership would pose more of an a presidential election issue- Mitt Romney’s or Harry Reid’s? Which one do you think the media will eat alive?
Since Harry Reid has the charisma of two-day old sushi, the chances that he will run for president are less than zero. And the religion of a Senate minority leader is even more irrelevant than the Senate minority leader himself is.
My inferred point was that if Reid were to run (and it wouldn’t matter what congressional position he currently holds), the amount of focus on his religion would depend largely on his party affiliation. Same with Mitt. Just watch.
Not the amount, just the angle. Romney will be skewered from the right for believing in the wrong Jesus. Reid would be skewered from the left over the Church’s same-sex marriage position, the priesthood ban, etc.
I have built a database of websites, google/msn/yahoo groups, etc… that support Mitt Romney in his run for President in 2008. Feel free to visit the website:
http://www.mittromneyforpresident2008.pbwiki.com