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 2025, 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

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 Length of
service
Frank J. Cannon Republican Utah January 22, 1896 March 4, 1899 3 years, 41 days [3]
Reed Smoot Republican Utah March 4, 1903 March 4, 1933 30 years, 0 days Also served on the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.[3]
William H. King Democratic Utah March 4, 1917 January 3, 1941 23 years, 305 days [3]
Elbert D. Thomas Democratic Utah March 4, 1933 January 3, 1951 17 years, 305 days [3]
Berkeley L. Bunker Democratic Nevada November 27, 1940 December 2, 1942 2 years, 5 days [3]
Orrice Abram Murdock Jr. Democratic Utah January 3, 1941 January 3, 1947 6 years, 0 days [3]
Arthur Vivian Watkins Republican Utah January 3, 1947 January 3, 1959 12 years, 0 days [3]
Wallace F. Bennett Republican Utah January 3, 1951 December 20, 1974 23 years, 351 days [3]
Howard Cannon Democratic Nevada January 3, 1959 January 3, 1983 24 years, 0 days [3]
Frank Moss Democratic Utah January 3, 1959 January 3, 1977 18 years, 0 days [3]
Jake Garn Republican Utah December 21, 1974 January 3, 1993 18 years, 13 days [3]
Orrin Hatch Republican Utah January 3, 1977 January 3, 2019 42 years, 0 days [3]
Paula Hawkins Republican Florida January 1, 1981 January 3, 1987 6 years, 2 days 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 30 years, 0 days First Mormon convert to serve in the Senate.[3]
Bob Bennett Republican Utah January 3, 1993 January 3, 2011 18 years, 0 days [3]
Gordon H. Smith Republican Oregon January 3, 1997 January 3, 2009 12 years, 0 days [3]
Mike Crapo Republican Idaho January 3, 1999 Incumbent 26 years, 10 days [3]
Tom Udall Democratic New Mexico January 3, 2009 January 3, 2021 12 years, 0 days [3]
Mike Lee Republican Utah January 3, 2011 Incumbent 14 years, 10 days [4]
Dean Heller Republican Nevada May 9, 2011 January 3, 2019 7 years, 239 days [5]
Jeff Flake Republican Arizona January 3, 2013 January 3, 2019 6 years, 0 days [6]
Mitt Romney Republican Utah January 3, 2019 January 3, 2025 6 years, 0 days Ran unsuccessfully for president in 2008 and 2012.[7]
Retired
John Curtis Republican Utah January 3, 2025 Incumbent 10 days [8]

House of Representatives

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 Senator Kyrsten Sinema (I) of Arizona grew up in the Church, but left as adults.

Representative Party District Term Notes
Start End Length of
service
William H. King Democratic UT-AL March 4, 1897 March 3, 1899 1 year, 364 days Ran successfully for U.S. Senator from Utah.[3]
April 2, 1900 March 3, 1901 335 days
Joseph Howell Republican UT-AL March 4, 1903 March 3, 1913 13 years, 364 days [3]
UT-01 March 3, 1913 March 3, 1917
Milton H. Welling Democratic UT-01 March 4, 1917 March 3, 1921 3 years, 364 days [3]
Don B. Colton Republican UT-01 March 4, 1921 March 3, 1933 11 years, 364 days [3]
Orrice Abram Murdock Jr. Democratic UT-01 March 4, 1933 January 3, 1941 7 years, 305 days Ran successfully for U.S. Senator from Utah.[3]
J. W. Robinson Democratic UT-02 March 4, 1933 January 3, 1947 13 years, 305 days [3]
Walter K. Granger Democratic UT-01 January 3, 1941 January 3, 1953 12 years, 0 days [3]
Berkeley L. Bunker Democratic NV-AL January 5, 1945 January 5, 1947 2 years, 0 days Appointed U.S. Senator from Nevada.[3]
William A. Dawson Republican UT-02 January 3, 1947 January 3, 1949 2 years, 0 days [3]
January 3, 1953 January 3, 1959 6 years, 0 days
Hamer H. Budge Republican ID-02 January 3, 1951 January 3, 1961 10 years, 0 days Appointed 16th chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission.[3]
John E. Moss Democratic CA-03 January 3, 1953 December 31, 1978 25 years, 362 days [3]
Douglas R. Stringfellow Republican UT-01 January 3, 1953 January 3, 1955 2 years, 0 days [3]
Henry Aldous Dixon Republican UT-01 January 3, 1955 January 3, 1961 6 years, 0 days [3]
Stewart Udall Democratic AZ-02 January 3, 1955 January 18, 1961 6 years, 15 days Appointed 37th United States Secretary of the Interior.[3]
David S. King Democratic UT-02 January 3, 1959 January 3, 1963 4 years, 0 days [3]
January 3, 1965 January 3, 1967 2 years, 0 days
Ralph R. Harding Democratic ID-02 January 3, 1961 January 3, 1965 4 years, 0 days [3]
M. Blaine Peterson Democratic UT-01 January 3, 1961 January 3, 1963 2 years, 0 days [3]
Mo Udall Democratic AZ-02 May 2, 1961 May 4, 1991 30 years, 2 days Ran unsuccessfully for president in 1976.[3]
Laurence J. Burton Republican UT-01 January 3, 1963 January 3, 1971 8 years, 0 days [3]
Richard T. Hanna Democratic CA-34 January 3, 1963 December 31, 1974 11 years, 362 days [3]
Sherman P. Lloyd Republican UT-02 January 3, 1963 January 3, 1965 2 years, 0 days [3]
January 3, 1967 January 3, 1973 6 years, 0 days
Del M. Clawson Republican CA-23 June 11, 1963 January 3, 1975 15 years, 203 days [3]
CA-33 January 3, 1975 December 31, 1978
Kenneth W. Dyal Democratic CA-33 January 3, 1965 January 3, 1967 2 years, 0 days [3]
George V. Hansen Republican ID-02 January 3, 1965 January 3, 1969 4 years, 0 days [3]
January 3, 1975 January 3, 1985 10 years, 0 days
Orval H. Hansen Republican ID-02 January 3, 1969 January 3, 1975 6 years, 0 days [3]
K. Gunn McKay Democratic UT-01 January 3, 1971 January 3, 1981 10 years, 0 days [3]
Wayne Owens Democratic UT-02 January 3, 1973 January 3, 1975 2 years, 0 days [3]
January 3, 1987 January 3, 1993 6 years, 0 days
Clair Burgener Republican CA-42 January 3, 1973 January 3, 1975 10 years, 0 days [3]
CA-43 January 3, 1975 January 3, 1983
Allan Turner Howe Democratic UT-02 January 3, 1975 January 3, 1977 2 years, 0 days [3]
Cecil Heftel Democratic HI-01 January 3, 1977 July 11, 1986 11 years, 189 days [3]
David Daniel Marriott Republican UT-02 January 3, 1977 January 3, 1985 8 years, 0 days [3]
Norman D. Shumway Republican CA-14 January 3, 1979 January 3, 1991 12 years, 0 days [3]
James V. Hansen Republican UT-01 January 3, 1981 January 3, 2003 22 years, 0 days [3]
Howard C. Nielson Republican UT-03 January 3, 1983 January 3, 1991 8 years, 0 days [3]
Ron Packard Republican CA-43 January 3, 1983 January 3, 1993 18 years, 0 days [3]
CA-48 January 3, 1993 January 3, 2001
Harry Reid Democratic NV-01 January 3, 1983 January 3, 1987 4 years, 0 days Ran successfully for U.S. Senator from Nevada.[3]
David Smith Monson Republican UT-02 January 3, 1985 January 3, 1987 2 years, 0 days [3]
Richard H. Stallings Democratic ID-02 January 3, 1985 January 3, 1993 8 years, 0 days [3]
Wally Herger Republican CA-02 January 3, 1987 January 3, 2013 26 years, 0 days [3]
John Doolittle Republican CA-14 January 3, 1991 January 3, 1993 18 years, 0 days [3]
CA-04 January 3, 1993 January 3, 2009
Bill Orton Democratic UT-03 January 3, 1991 January 3, 1997 6 years, 0 days [3]
Richard Swett Democratic NH-02 January 3, 1991 January 3, 1995 4 years, 0 days 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 6 years, 0 days Ran successfully for U.S. Senator from Idaho.[3]
Ernest Istook Republican OK-05 January 3, 1993 January 3, 2007 14 years, 0 days [3]
Buck McKeon Republican CA-25 January 3, 1993 January 3, 2015 22 years, 0 days [3]
Enid Greene Mickelsen Republican UT-02 January 3, 1995 January 3, 1997 2 years, 0 days First Mormon woman to serve in the House.[3]
Matt Salmon Republican AZ-01 January 3, 1995 January 3, 2001 6 years, 0 days [3]
AZ-05 January 3, 2013 January 3, 2017 4 years, 0 days
Chris Cannon Republican UT-03 January 3, 1997 January 3, 2009 12 years, 0 days [3]
Merrill Cook Republican UT-02 January 3, 1997 January 3, 2001 4 years, 0 days [3]
Mike Simpson Republican ID-02 January 3, 1999 Incumbent 26 years, 10 days [3]
Tom Udall Democratic NM-03 January 3, 1999 January 3, 2009 10 years, 0 days Ran successfully for U.S. Senator from New Mexico.[3]
Jeff Flake Republican AZ-01 January 3, 2001 January 3, 2003 12 years, 0 days 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 14 years, 0 days [9]
UT-04 January 3, 2013 January 3, 2015
Rob Bishop Republican UT-01 January 3, 2003 January 3, 2021 18 years, 0 days [8]
Dean Heller Republican NV-02 January 3, 2007 May 9, 2011 4 years, 126 days Ran successfully for U.S. Senator from Nevada.[5]
Jason Chaffetz Republican UT-03 January 3, 2009 June 30, 2017 8 years, 178 days [10]
Raúl Labrador Republican ID-01 January 3, 2011 January 3, 2019 8 years, 0 days First Hispanic Mormon to serve in Congress.[11]
Chris Stewart Republican UT-02 January 3, 2013 September 15, 2023 10 years, 255 days [8]
Curt Clawson Republican FL-19 June 24, 2014 January 3, 2017 2 years, 193 days [12]
Cresent Hardy Republican NV-04 January 3, 2015 January 3, 2017 2 years, 0 days [13]
Mia Love Republican UT-04 January 3, 2015 January 3, 2019 4 years, 0 days First black Mormon to serve in Congress.[8]
Andy Biggs Republican AZ-05 January 3, 2017 Incumbent 8 years, 10 days [8]
John Curtis Republican UT-03 November 13, 2017 January 3, 2025 7 years, 51 days [8]
Ben McAdams Democratic UT-04 January 3, 2019 January 3, 2021 2 years, 0 days [8]
Blake Moore Republican UT-01 January 3, 2021 Incumbent 4 years, 10 days [14]
Burgess Owens Republican UT-04 January 3, 2021 Incumbent 4 years, 10 days First black male Mormon to serve in Congress.[15]
Celeste Maloy Republican UT-02 November 28, 2023 Incumbent 3 years, 46 days [16]
Mike Kennedy Republican UT-03 January 3, 2025 Incumbent 10 days [17][18]

Territorial delegates

Delegate Party District Term Notes
Start End Length of
service
John Milton Bernhisel Independent Utah Territory March 4, 1851 March 3, 1859 7 years, 364 days [3]
William Henry Hooper Democratic Utah Territory March 4, 1859 March 3, 1861 1 year, 364 days [3]
George Q. Cannon Republican Utah Territory March 4, 1873 February 25, 1882 8 years, 358 days 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 10 years, 116 days [3]
Frank J. Cannon Republican Utah Territory March 4, 1895 January 4, 1896 306 days [3]
Eni Faleomavaega Democratic American Samoa January 3, 1989 January 3, 2015 26 years, 0 days [3]

Elected to the House of Representatives, but not seated

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

See also

References

  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.