The two collide over the evangelical belief in the "Holy Trinity," or the idea that the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are all one being. LDS Church members believe the three figures are distinct.

Evangelical Christians also disagree with the LDS use of scripture supplemental to the Bible, including the Book of Mormon, and the theory that Jesus Christ has already been resurrected and appeared in North America.

Despite those differences in faith, Utah is routinely in step with religious right ideals. In the last state legislative session, lawmakers tightened restrictions on abortion and sent a constitutional ban on gay marriage to the Nov. 2 election.

Ronald Hrebenar, chairman of the University of Utah's political science department, said the state's strong Republican majority and near singular belief in the LDS Church mean that Utah politicians haven't had to affiliate themselves with movements like the religious right to win votes.

An estimated 90 percent of Utah state legislators are LDS.

"The Mormon Church is such a separate identity, and they haven't been blended into that overall movement because they're already so successful here, where they play their politics," he said. "They don't need to join that larger coalition. They may believe in the same issues, but they don't consider themselves part of that larger movement."

Despite the religious divide, the differences haven't presented a political problem for Utah's U.S. congressional delegation.

Rep. Rob Bishop, who is LDS, said he didn't consider himself a member of the religious right, but, "intellectually or politically, I probably agree with all of their positions."

Bishop said he's had casual conversations with conservative Christians on Capitol Hill, but he wouldn't characterize them as arguments.

For instance, Bishop's abstinence from liquor — consumption is forbidden for LDS Church members — "is noticed all the time," he said. "That's going to lead to conversations about it, but never in confrontations."

Bishop recalled a conversation he had with a congressional aide who was an evangelical. The aide opined that there was no separation of church and state in Utah because of the LDS Church's heavy concentration of followers there.

"In that case, I just said, 'This Utah Mormon is still on your side.' "