Less than a month after voicing opposition to Idaho’s Proposition 1 expanding abortion access, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has cut a $1 million check to the political action committee trying to sink it — by far the largest single contribution to the group Too Extreme for Idaho PAC.

In a statement about the donation, the Utah-based church said that while it “remains neutral toward political candidates, it actively addresses ballot initiatives it believes carry significant moral consequences.”

“Accordingly,” the statement added, “the church has joined a coalition of like-minded organizations and individuals in Idaho to dedicate resources toward defeating Proposition 1.”

Those like-minded organizations include the Roman Catholic Diocese of Boise, another top donor that has given a little more than $300,000 this election cycle.

How the dueling PACs stack up

As of Monday, Too Extreme for Idaho had raised around $4 million, with $2.5 million still in hand before next month’s Election Day.

Meanwhile, the PAC in support of Prop 1, Idahoans United for Women and Families, had raised nearly $5.7 million and had $3.3 million remaining. Counted among its top donors is former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and a group known as Government That Works.

Sam Martin, political communication professor at Boise State University’s Frank Church Institute, said the church’s investment is a meaningful one with the potential to “make a difference” in November.

“Anyone who is going to pay attention is starting to focus right now,” Martin said, “so the money is coming at a good time” for opponents of the measure.

To date, limited polling has shown Prop 1 supporters outnumbering opponents.

Latter-day Saints are divided

Idaho Latter-day Saints have been split on the issue, with some expressing gratitude and others discomfort with the church’s foray into the ballot measure.

Latter-day Saint Maddy Packer praised the church’s donation, which she called evidence of “how serious it believes the moral implications of abortion truly are and how strongly it opposes it.”

The Idahoan pushed back against those criticizing the church’s involvement, stating “many wrongfully accuse the church of unethically getting ‘political,’ but what they fail to understand is that abortion is and always has been, first, a deeply moral issue.”

In contrast, Kristine Anderson, also a Latter-day Saint living in the Gem State, supports Prop 1.

Of her four children, three were born via in vitro fertilization, Anderson said, a fact that influenced her thinking on the issue.

“I benefited from the [church] handbook’s nuanced stance on embryos and abortion,” she said. “It’s a bit agonizing to realize those words were just P.R. for my church, which instead acts like a right-wing culture warrior bent on defeating families who have complicated, heartbreaking stories.”

What about Nevada?

In Nevada, the church has publicly stated its opposition to Nevada’s Question 6, which would enshrine in the Silver State’s constitution abortion access similar to a law currently in place there.

A review of campaign finance statements by PACs opposing it did not turn up contributions by the church as of Monday. That measure is overwhelmingly expected to pass.