BYU NewsNet - Can a Latter-day Saint become president?

By Amy Brennan

Newsweek reporter Jennifer Barrett didn't shy away from asking Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney probing and personal questions during a recent interview.

"You would be [one of] the first Mormon presidential candidates," Barrett said. "How much of an issue do you think that would be for non-Mormon voters?"

Romney, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a possible 2008 Republican presidential candidate, was familiar with the question and ready with an answer.

"I think Americans want a person of faith to lead this country," he answered. "And I think what is important to them is whether they have shared values. They're not terribly concerned about the brand of faith or doctrinal differences that may exist."

While some political observers agree with Romney, saying his charisma can win enough supporters to land him in the Oval Office, others disagree, saying his membership in The Church of Jesus Christ remains a substantial barrier - one that could cost him crucial votes in a hotly contested race.

Despite Mitt Romney's appeal, an increase in church visibility and the success of LDS politicians, experts still ask the question: Can a Mormon really become president of the United States of America?

Though constitutional separation of church and state technically makes religion a non-factor - any natural-born citizen at least 35 years of age is eligible to run for president - in reality, nothing could be further from the truth, according to precedent. Perceptions of religious affiliation can make or break a Republican, particularly in the southern "Bible Belt," a voting block that GOP candidates must secure or lose all hope of victory in the primary and general elections, according to political researchers.

"You need 270 [electoral] votes to win [the presidency] and of course, the southern states are a big part of that," said Kelly Patterson, a BYU political science professor. "But it is possible that opponents won't want to use the religion factor, no one knows."

Still, religious tensions could collide with political aspirations.

"There are jokes that Mormons and Christians can't be friends and there is a strong evangelical following that listens to their leaders," said Ivy Sellers, a reporter for Human Events, a national conservative weekly publication. "They [evangelicals] make up the strongest voting bloc in the Republican party."

Even outside the Bible Belt, in liberal Massachusetts, religion became an issue during Romney's 1994 Senate race against Democratic Sen. Edward Kennedy. A relative of Kennedy's attacked controversial parts of Mormon history and though the person later apologized, Romney dropped in the polls, eventually losing.

But running as a Mormon candidate is not without any advantages. Though the church ascribes to "neutrality in political party matters" and declines to endorse candidates or let church facilities be used for political reasons, church leadership encourages members to vote in elections. A 2004 letter from the First Presidency reminded members "to seek out and then uphold leaders who will act with integrity."

To some members, supporting an LDS candidate in terms of time and money offers an appealing way to follow this advice. Romney's fundraising power is strong, particularly in Mormon-dominant Utah, with prominent citizens including Deseret Book CEO Sheri Dew and philanthropist Jon Huntsman Sr. adding to his war chest.

The church's overall image, even among those who disagree with its doctrines, also figures to be a factor in a possible Romney campaign. With nearly 6 million members in the U.S. and high profile media coverage resulting from both the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City and the 200th anniversary of founder Joseph Smith Jr.'s birth, the LDS Church's visibility has increased substantially in recent years, familiarizing outsiders with doctrinal beliefs.

And the church has tried to reach beyond its membership, building relationships with other religions and focusing on the universal importance of family. Recently church leaders worked with the Religious Coalition for Marriage, an interfaith organization, to generate support for the Senate's failed Marriage Protection Amendment.

"President Hinckley has opened up our horizons to relationships with people of other faiths and there has been a concerted effort to get us understood," said Roger Keller, a BYU religion professor.

Yet the increase in visibility does not equal an increase in acceptability, according to professors. Concerns about the church range from the historical to the doctrinal, including the LDS rejection of the traditional trinity and a belief that man can become like God, said BYU religion professor Arnold Garr.

"There are a lot of evangelicals that don't consider us [Mormons] Christians because we don't believe in the mainline concept," Garr said.

Romney's candidacy would certainly not be an LDS first. Joseph Smith Jr. announced presidential aspirations a few months before his death in 1844.

Romney's father, George, tried to secure the 1968 Republican presidential nomination but dropped out after his well-publicized comments about the Vietnam War damaged the campaign.

More recently, Sen. Orrin Hatch attempted to secure the 2000 Republican bid, exiting after a last place showing in the Iowa caucuses. Analysts said Hatch's chances of winning were slim from the start but Hatch cited one benefit to his run: resolving public misconceptions about the church.

Hatch's run came at a time when a Gallup poll showed 17 percent of the country would not vote for a Mormon if their party nominated one for president, regardless of their qualifications. The 2008 race could show how much, if at all, public opinion has changed since 2000.

The Republican primary figures to be competitive with a race between Arizona Sen. John McCain and Tennessee Sen. Bill Frist. In fact, getting past the primary could be the toughest part for a Republican. Candidates have already begun positioning themselves to campaign.

Frist recently used his Majority Leader status to push a socially conservative agenda, boosting his appeal to the right. Results from a straw poll taken at the Southern Republican Leadership Conference in March confirmed Frist's favored ranking.

But Romney's second place finish in the same poll stunned observers. Massachusetts' "golden boy" just might have a chance, analysts said. John F. Kennedy's 1960 election campaign, where Kennedy overcame anti-Catholicism to win, has been cited as a potential precedent for Romney to follow.

And the success of other Mormon politicians could help Romney as well. Currently, 17 members of the LDS Church hold seats in Congress, including Minority Leader Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., whose position could prevent Democrats from attacking the church should Romney receive the nomination.

"Romney could use Reid to his advantage because he will be able to say, 'Look at Harry Reid, he is of the same religion as me but we have very different leanings because not everyone of the religion thinks the same way,'" said Rachel Oliphant, spokeswoman for the Heritage Foundation.

After midterm elections this year, the spotlight on Romney and his religion will likely increase, leading to more speculation. For now, though, the talk remains tentative.

"Everybody is so involved in our own races that people are not giving this too much thought," said Marian Monnahan, chair of the Utah County Republican Party.