With one Mormon looking like a serious contender for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008, it may be time to ask the question Americans asked about Catholic candidate John F. Kennedy in 1960: Is the country ready to elect a Mormon president? If a Los Angeles Times poll is accurate, then the answer is: Maybe not.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is one of the fastest-growing religions in the world, with more than 5.5 million members in the United States alone. There are currently 16 Mormons in Congress — five senators and 11 representatives.
Nonetheless, according to the July 3 poll, 37 percent of American adults would not vote for a Mormon presidential candidate.
Among the survey's choices of Catholic, Jewish, Mormon and Muslim candidates, only the Muslim score came in lower, with 54 percent of American adults saying they wouldn't vote for a Muslim candidate. Some analysts have said the survey results show that Mormon politicians like Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who may run for the Republican presidential candidacy in 2008, will face significant resistance in the race for the White House.
Other analysts, like Romney supporter Nancy French, disagree. She noted that evangelicals and Mormons both tend to be politically conservative, and that voters will care less about the Mormonism and more about the man. Historically, both Mormon and evangelical groups have opposed gay marriage, embryonic stem-cell research and abortion.
Some experts think Romney should publicly address his religious beliefs before others have a chance to exploit them. That may require considerable tact in a time when candidates in both parties are increasingly using the language of faith to connect with voters. Romney may be forced to walk a tight-rope, maintaining close ties to his Mormon allies while convincing evangelical Christians he's not so different from them.
Associated Baptist Press