Recently, a friend commented that conservatives opposed Mitt Romney as the Republican presidential nominee because he is a Mormon. Results from the Iowa and New Hampshire polling show that Evangelicals supported Romney because they believed he was electable or because they believe his strength as a business leader made him a better fit for these tough economic times. Those who did not support him were more committed to values issues. No exit polling registered opposition to Romney because of his faith. The recent attacks on Romney based on his business practices at Bain Capital clearly demonstrate that he would be unelectable against Obama who would successfully demagogue his way to a second term. It's not about Mormonism -- it's about identity. We are a conservative -- but populist -- nation with which Romney is out of step because of his core values. Those values are separate and distinct from his faith (Mormonism does NOT direct public policy).
However, faith may be a factor in the general election if the GOP candidate is a Catholic. Unlike Mormons, Episcopals or non-denominational Evangelicals, Catholics tend to be motivated both by their faith identity AND the values of their faith. In other words, while Evangelicals may support a Catholic candidate who espouses their views on social issues, Catholics may support him because he is a Catholic, baring a significant difference on issues. In this sense, I'm talking about practicing Catholics and not people who happen to come from a Catholic tradition.
People assume wrongly that because Mormon faith and practice leads them to lead clean and moral lives that their political views are in lock step with their personal views -- that a Mormon who is pro-life would necessarily take the pro-life view as a matter of public policy. Whether gay rights, abortion, legal gambling and drugs -- pick a values issue -- Mormons do not have a church policy that directs them in the area of public policy. Those worried that the LDS Prophet may direct Mitt Romney's administration from some secret location in Salt Lake City are both naive and bigoted. Mormon politicians tend to be more moderate-to-liberal BECAUSE their faith does not dictate their policies; Romney is free to govern as he sees fit, and he comes from a faith tradition that separates individual faith and practice from public policy as no other faith. This is why virtually every Mormon politician of note tends to be moderate to liberal in spite of their personal religious leanings.
In the same way, it is wrongheaded and bigoted to think that a Gingrich or a Santorum administration would be directed remotely from the Vatican. Given this contrast, the idea of a Catholic standard bearer for the GOP as opposed to a Mormon one is an attractive proposition. While Romney's core values are as moderate as those of other public figures from his faith tradition, those of Santorum are just as conservative as those from his faith tradition. The difference is that Catholics have traditionally been a Democratic constituency since JFK. Those Catholics who see the Democratic Party abandoning their core values may find a friend in Santorum or Gingrich; populism tempered by a moral compass.
