Jones' survey shows that among 9,442 voters Nov. 2 who said they are members of the LDS Church, 70 percent said they are Republicans. Only 9 percent of the LDS voters said they are Democrats; while 17 percent said they are political independents.

Nine percent of Mormons saying they are Democrats — that's a tough number.

In a few elections, like Salt Lake City mayor, a candidate can ignore the LDS vote, or even play against it.

But that's just not available to most Utah candidates.

While Salt Lake County — at least in this election — was willing to look to Democrats, the state's largest metropolitan area is still relatively conservative.

Democrat Corroon, for example, got just 16 percent of the Republican vote and just 31 percent of the Mormon vote.

The bright spot on the political/religion scale is, of course, Jim Matheson.

• According to the exit poll, Matheson got 30 percent of the Republican vote in the 2nd District, which includes the eastern part of Salt Lake County and all or parts of 15 other counties to the east and south. Matheson got 77 percent of the independent vote, and he got 45 percent of the Mormon vote.

Even though Matheson is one of the most conservative-voting Democrats in the U.S. House, he still kept his base.

Matheson got 97 percent of the Democratic vote, 72 percent of the "moderate" vote and 97 percent of the "liberal" vote. He got 81 percent of the Catholic vote and 75 percent of the "other religion" vote, too.

Of course, it's clear that Democrats and moderates don't have much choice in the 2nd District if they don't like Matheson's voting record — other than voting for a Green Party or Libertarian Party candidate who won't win or actually crossing over and voting for the Republican.

• Finally, did the problems of Salt Lake County Mayor Nancy Workman bleed over into other races?

Jones' poll gives a hint of an answer.

If you compare how people voted for President Bush and Huntsman, and then in the race for county mayor and the countywide council race between Democrat Jenny Wilson and Councilman Steve Harmsen, a Republican, you see Republican defections.

For example, Corroon got 23 percent of the Bush vote. So nearly a fourth of the voters split their ticket there — picking the president but then turning around and voting for Corroon. Wilson got 24 percent of the Bush vote. Fewer of the Huntsman voters picked Corroon and Wilson, but split-ticket voting went on there as well.

A fair assessment: A goodly number of voters who picked big-name Republicans defected to Corroon and Wilson, and most likely they did that because they're angry over the scandals in county government, which is run by a GOP mayor and GOP majority council.

Did Ivory and Harmsen, who had no direct responsibility for the scandals, lose their races because of the troubles? When you include disaffected independent voters who went Democratic, it's likely.

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Deseret Morning News political editor Bob Bernick Jr. may be reached by e-mail at bbjr@desnews.com