Posted on 11/20/2006 8:24:45 AM PST by areafiftyone
Mitt Romney (R) begins the 2008 campaign season in fourth place among those seeking the GOP Presidential nomination, trailing Rudy Giuliani, John McCain, and Condoleezza Rice. While many Republican insiders believe the Massachusetts Governor could become an attractive candidate to the party's social conservatives, a Rasmussen Reports survey finds that Romney's faith may initially be more of a hindrance than a help.
Forty-three percent (43%) of American voters say they would never even consider voting for a Mormon Presidential candidate. Only 38% say they would consider casting such a vote while 19% are not sure. Half (53%) of all Evangelical Christians say that they would not consider voting for a Mormon candidate.
Overall, 29% of Likely Voters have a favorable opinion of Romney while 30% hold an unfavorable view. Most of those opinions are less than firmly held. Ten percent (10%) hold a very favorable opinion while 11% have a very unfavorable assessment. Among the 41% with no opinion of Romney, just 27% say they would consider voting for a Mormon.
It is possible, of course, that these perceptions might change as Romney becomes better known and his faith is considered in the context of his campaign. Currently, just 19% of Likely Voters are able to identify Romney as the Mormon candidate from a list of six potential Presidential candidates.
The response to a theoretical Mormon candidate is far less negative than the response to a Muslim candidate or an atheist. Sixty-one percent (61%) of Likely Voters say they would never consider voting for a Muslim Presidential candidate. Sixty percent (60%) say the same about an atheist.
The Rasmussen Reports survey found that 35% say that a candidate's faith and religious beliefs are very important in their voting decision. Another 27% say faith and religious beliefs are somewhat important. Ninety-two percent (92%) of Evangelical Christian voters consider a candidate's faith and beliefs important.
On the partisan front, 78% of Republicans say that a candidate's faith is an important consideration, a view shared by 55% of Democrats. However, there is also a significant divide on this topic within the Democratic Party. Among minority Democrats, 71% consider faith and religious beliefs an important consideration for voting. Just 44% of white Democrats agree.
The national telephone survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports November 16-17, 2006. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence.
"I can't believe that anyone would be that superficial."
Religion is hardly superficial to many people.
I would have serious qualms about voting for a devout Shiite Muslim, to use an extreme example.
Or a Scientologist, as I would doubt their sanity.
My guess is that Olene Walker, who was acting governor of Utah after Mike Leavitt went to Washington, is a Mormon. But it is instructive that she ran on the ticket as a Lt. Governor and was gently moved aside when the time came to choose a candidate for 2004.
Ronna Romney ran for Senate in Michigan against Carl Levin a long time ago.
George Romney was a Mormon.
According to our founding fathers, they wanted us to elect Christian rulers.
It is important because it impacts how you view your job.
Well, it is possible that a Mormon could be a better president than a Methodist or a Catholic. But I'd have a hard time trusting one. Their beliefs are so darn strange.
You didn't vote for President Bush?!
Oh, and who can forget poor Enid Greene Waldholz, single-term representative from Salt Lake County who inadvertently led to the election of Scott Matheson by paving the way for Merrill Cook.
They even have baptism for the dead, completely unbiblical.
Bush might as well start redecorating for Hillary.
OK, when was the last time you saw members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints shouting "JOSEPH SMITH AKHBAR!" and detonating a bomb vest?
Or, for that matter, a Scientologist shouting "L. RON HUBBARD AKHBAR!" and flying an airplane into a building?
I'm the sort who judges people by their conduct, not by what building they worship in.
The Shiite Muslim might be a problem, but you'd have to define "devout," because if you think FR is a fractious flame-flinging lot over who is and isn't a RINO, Islam is getting that way over who is and isn't a MINO, and those disputes tend to get lethal.
We are electing him to be President, not to be our kids' Sunday school teacher.
He will appeal to the Reagan Democrats, women and Catholics (who remember JFK's fight for acceptance).
...yes, in answer to your question, George Romney's religion was an issue,back in the day, more so even then now...I believe an attractive enough candidate can completely negate the faith issue (can we say JFK?)...and I love the concept of 'First Ladies", lol...
Lots of famous Mormon Politicians....including women....
here's the list
http://www.morgannews.us/pol.html
They had a really peculiar way of enforcing it...
Article VI, Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution:
The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the members of the several state legislatures, and all executive and judicial officers, both of the United States and of the several states, shall be bound by oath or affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States.
"Besides, he is cute."
There are actually some posters here who think women shouldn't vote. This comment certainly gives ammunition to their side.
A Mormon is not like electing the first Catholic.
The hurdle is much higher.
Many evangelicals will be put off by him.
Do you mean that good Mormons don't get their own universe or planet to rule after they die?
Or do you mean that Mormons are Trinitarians?
Or do you mean that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit weren't once human beings like us?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.