Washington • The incoming Congress will include fewer Mormons than in nearly three decades, a development that could dent The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' clout in Washington.
With the retirement of Sen. Jeff Flake of Arizona and Sen. Dean Heller losing re-election, there will be 11 Mormons in the House and Senate come January, bringing down the number of Latter-day Saint adherents in Congress to the lowest level since 1990.
Mormons have enjoyed an oversized presence in Congress for some time, with a higher percentage of Latter-day Saints in the chambers than in the U.