Latter-day Saints women turn away from scandal-plagued Republican candidate in Arizona
Kimberly Tait had been a registered Republican all her life, until she switched her affiliation to independent in 2016.
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she → turn → 2016
The Gilbert, Ariz., resident always considered herself to be conservative but experienced a political identity crisis because she couldn't bring herself to align with the Republican Party under President Trump.
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she → consider → Trump
"I'm not super progressive politically and I'm really pretty moderate." Tait said.
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Tait → say → ?
Now Tait — also a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — has another politician on her ballot that turns her off: Mark Lamb, the former Pinal County sheriff and Republican nominee for Arizona's 5th Congressional District, a conservative stronghold.
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that → have → District
Lamb is favored to win the general election, but a lack of appeal to Mormon voters could make it a closer-than-expected race.
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it → favor → voters
While Lamb says he is a member of the LDS church, Tait is one of the Mormons in the district that question Lamb's adherence to the faith as well as his political motivations.
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that → say → faith
Lamb's campaign slogan is "God, Family, Freedom," and, to her, the sentiment rings hollow because "the candidate and all that they represent is the antithesis of that.
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they → ring → that
He also belongs to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
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He → belong → Saints
But from what I understand about Mark Lamb, the dishonesty that has been displayed in his public and private life is completely contrary to our faith," Tait said.
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Tait → understand → faith
The district and Lamb's candidacy
Arizona's 5th Congressional District covers the eastern part of the sprawling Phoenix suburbs of Maricopa County — Arizona's most populated — as well as Pinal County.
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District → cover → County
The district has exploded in population in recent years, too.
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district → explode → years
Kim Fridkin, a political science professor at Arizona State University, has lived in the district for roughly a decade and has watched it change.
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it → live → decade
"A lot of people came in from other states and a lot of them from California and they definitely wanted to move to a more conservative place," she said.
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she → come → place
Fridkin added the residents are a mix of working, middle and upper middle class families.
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residents → add → ?
It's predominantly Republican (Trump won the district by roughly 20 points in the last presidential election), mostly white and fairly religious with a sizable LDS population.
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Trump → win → population
Two of Arizona's six LDS temples are located within the boundaries of the relatively small district.
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Two → locate → district
With Rep. Andy Biggs not seeking reelection to run for Arizona governor, voters in the district will decide between Democrat Elizabeth Lee, a nurse and political newcomer, or Lamb, who is endorsed by Trump and has a scandal-plagued past.
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who → seek → past
Lamb has been accused of racist remarks and sexual misconduct while he was Pinal County sheriff.
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he → accuse → remarks
The Arizona Republic released a multipart investigation into Mark Lamb where it alleges he had multiple affairs and sent sexually explicit messages to a woman outside his marriage then threatened to send law enforcement after her if she spoke publicly about it.
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she → release → it
One of the most prominent values the LDS church holds sacred is chastity, which includes no sexual relations of any kind outside of marriage.
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which → hold → marriage
If a member is found to be out of step with covenants, church leaders can revoke certain privileges and can even move to excommunicate the member.
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leaders → find → member
The Arizona Republic reported that church leaders looked into claims about Lamb's sexual improprieties.
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leaders → report → improprieties
Lamb, who did not respond to NPR's interview request, denied the allegations during an event at the Encores Conservative Club in June.
"
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who → respond → June
I've been called a racist.
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I → call → ?
I've been called a misogynist …
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I → call → ?
I'm going to tell you folks, these are lies.
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these → go → ?
Every single bit of it," he said, referring to the multiple articles the Arizona Republic has published on Lamb's candidacy.
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Republic → say → candidacy
Some Latter-day Saint voters struggle to support Lamb
To Tait, Lamb as the nominee is the latest example of an unrecognizable Republican Party.
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Lamb → struggle → Party
"The idea of having yet another elected official who is accused of sexual misconduct towards women," Tait said, "that does not speak well to me, to my children.
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that → have → children
Like, what is that teaching our children?
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that → teach → children
Historically, Mormons vote for Republicans.
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Mormons → vote → Republicans
But they have become a little less red over the last two decades, according to an analysis by YouGov.
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they → become → YouGov
In neighboring Utah, where the LDS church is the predominant religion, Trump has faced some of his greatest opposition in a red state.
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Trump → neighbor → state
So looking at a purple state like Arizona, LDS voters start to look more independent overall when factoring in a complicated relationship many have with President Trump over his crass personality and hardline stances on issues, such as immigration.
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many → look → immigration
Holly Anderson is one of those Arizona LDS voters that has become more purple.
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that → become → voters
"I vote according to my personal values, and I believe that a leader should have character.
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leader → vote → character
I do not align with either one of the parties," Anderson told NPR.
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Anderson → align → NPR
She said she loved the late Arizona Sen. John McCain and former Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney.
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she → say → McCain
But the party has changed and Anderson said it would be hypocritical of her to support Lamb, even if they share the same religion.
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they → change → religion
"In my faith, we really stand by 2 Corinthians 13:1.
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we → stand → Corinthians
…and 32 more, not listed.
The Aporia
