When Utah lost the title of biggest consumer of Jell-O, we rallied and reclaimed the trophy from Iowa. So what are we going to do about this?

According to an August survey of Intermountain West states by the polling company Mason Dixon (and reported on The San Francisco Chronicle's web site and in the Casper Star-Tribune), Wyoming voters are the most conservative in the region.

This trend was most pronounced over the issue of immigration:

• Likely voters who support moves to stop illegal immigration from Mexico - Wyoming, 77 percent; Utah, 74 percent.
• Likely voters who support deporting immigrant workers: Wyoming, 47 percent; Utah, 37 percent.
• Likely voters who support offering the chance for legal status to illegal immigrants: Wyoming, 45 percent; Utah, 50 percent.

Blame it on the LDS Church. "Brad Coker, managing director of Mason Dixon Polling and Research, attributed Utah's somewhat softer approach to illegal immigration to the influence of the Mormon Church, which he said has a substantial impact on voter positions in that state," the Casper paper reported. "He said Mormon beliefs about being a good neighbor may lead some otherwise very conservative Utah voters to adopt a somewhat more lenient position on immigration."

One topic where Utahns are more conservative than their Wyoming neighbors: Drilling for fuel sources on public lands. According to the poll, 61 percent of Utahns would put exploratory drilling as a higher priority than environmental protection - compared with 51 percent of Wyoming voters who think that way.

Labels: politics, Wyoming