In this powerful and eye-opening episode of WARD RADIO, host Cardon Ellis joins Austin Falter and Jonah Barnes to unpack one of the most overlooked chapters in both American and Latter-day Saint history — Joseph Smith’s 1844 presidential campaign.
Far from being a vanity project, Joseph’s run was born out of desperation — a direct response to mob violence, government corruption, and religious persecution that left the Saints without justice or protection. Drawing on Spencer McBride’s research, the hosts explore how Smith’s bold platform championed freedom, equality, and reform: from abolishing slavery through compensation, to shrinking Congress, slashing salaries, and enforcing religious liberty for all.
With humor, insight, and modern parallels (including comparisons to Mitt Romney’s campaign), the team explores how this little-known effort for justice became one of the most radical and courageous moves in early American politics — and asks the haunting question:
👉 What if Joseph Smith had actually won?
#WardRadio #JosephSmith #LDS #MormonHistory #AmericanHistory #Faith #Freedom
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