Romney’s Mormon Money Paradox (LDS buying the Presidency?)

http://www.humanevents.com/ ^ | by Amanda B. Carpenter

[Maelstorm]

Romney’s Mormon Money Paradox

by Amanda B. Carpenter

 

 

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R.) can’t break double-digits in the polls in his campaign for the 2008 Republican nomination for President, but has somehow set the pace for GOP fundraising. What gives?

Today, Romney pulls only 9.7% on the Real Clear Politics poll average. Yet, he leads the pack in Republican fundraising, posting a cool $23.4 million in the first quarter of the 2008 presidential election. Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who leads the RCP poll with 31.5% only raised $16.6 million. Sen. John McCain (R.-Ariz.), who polls 19% raised a little over $13 million.

So, where is Romney’s money coming from and how come it doesn’t translate in a poll boost?

A partial answer to the first question is Utah.

Like roughly 62% of the state’s population, Romney is a member of the Church of Latter-day Saints. He is also well-known to Utahans because of his work there as head of the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.

Of all the money contributed to presidential elections from Utah residents in the first quarter, Romney received 91% of it. Utah residents gave more than $3 million to the 2008 election and $2.77 million of that went to Romney’s coffers, according to an analysis conducted by Deseret Morning News in Salt Lake City.

Money-in-Politics Reporter Lindsay Renick Mayer of the Center for Responsive Politics which tracks campaign spending, noted that in the 2004 presidential race Utah ranked 40th among the states in political contributions. Now, it is 13th. Mayer said Romney’s candidacy is the reason.

According to a February survey for the Deseret Morning News and KSL-TV by Dan Jones & Associates, Romney tallied 45%. McCain picked up 11% of Utahans and Giuliani netted 7%.

Mayer explained, “As a Mormon, Romney has developed ties to the state that boasts the largest Mormon population in the country. Nearly 92 percent of Utah’s contributions so far have gone to the former Massachusetts governor, and the state’s total to Romney for just the first quarter is nearly half the $5.4 million it contributed to all candidates during the entire 2004 race. The state’s capital, Salt Lake City, has emerged as one of the most generous cities of the ’08 cycle, along with traditional toppers Los Angeles and New York.”

At least two notably wealthy Mormon families have lined up contributions for the Romney campaign in the first quarter. The family of Forbes 400-member Jon Huntsman Sr., who owns the largest petrochemical company in the world, gave more than $170,000. (Jon Huntsman Sr.’s son, Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. is a committed McCain supporter). Family members of Utah Jazz owner Larry H. Miller contributed $100,000.

Romney has also done well fundraising in other states with high Mormon populations. In Idaho, the state with the second highest concentration of Mormon residents, Romney raised $214,756 from 168 different donors. By comparison, Sen. Hillary Clinton (D.-N.Y.), who raised more than GOP or Democrat presidential candidate, only received $11,700 from eight Idahoans. Giuliani only raised $10,950 from 11 donors there.

In Wyoming, which has the third highest concentration of Mormon constituents, Romney received $32,250 from 26 contributors. Sen. Barack Obama (D.-Ill.) raised the second-highest amount of money in that state. He received $14,900 from 15 contributors. Clinton was given $2,050 from eight donors there.  Three donors from Wyoming wrote checks to the Giuliani campaign that totaled $5,600.

But will the Mormon money advantage translate into better poll numbers nationwide, or more importantly, votes?

Historically, Utah voters have a terrible primary voter turnout record. The State Elections office found that the June 27, 2006 primary only netted 13.39% of voters.  In 2004, Utah GOP skipped out of the primary and didn’t hold one for President Bush’s reelection. In 2002, Utah held their primary on March 10. Only 10% of the voters showed up at the ballots.

Utah has since moved their primary date up to “Super Duper Tuesday” on February 5 2008 to keep pace with the other 26 states that could be voting that day.  But Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics told the Salt Lake Tribune “it really doesn’t matter when Utah holds its primary” because  the state only has a population of 2.6 million and will be swamped by larger states with more delegates.

Another point worth considering is that when Romney reported his first quarter fundraising activities, $2.35 million of Romney’s $23.4 total had been transferred from his personal money. Take away Romney’s personal money and the cash he raised in Utah, which adds up to $5.12 million, Romney raised $18.8 million -- which puts Giuliani’s fundraising numbers much closer to Romney’s.
 
Yet, Giuliani is still far ahead of Romney in the national polls, 31.5% to 9.7%. Granted, Giuliani hasn’t been tagged with a memorable negative label like “flip-flopper” yet, but what remains to be seen is this: Is Romney’s Mormon cash an advantage or a paradox?

 

[Leisler]

"..Nearly 92 percent of Utah’s contributions so far have gone to the former Massachusetts governor...

Near Saddam/Soviet/North Korea type numbers. Hive mind in action.

[alloysteel]

Presidencies have been bought before, as witness the rapid rise of a relatively unknown Governor of a small state starting in about 1990, and resulting in an upset victory over a President who had been riding at the crest of popularity, yet went down in defeat in 1992.

To be honest, that victory was a fluke, and depended largely on the presence of a third factor in the race. In that instance, money not so much bought the Presidency, as denied it to an incumbent, a pretty parlour trick indeed.

The trick largely consisted to pulling off the upset with somebody else’s money.

[Rameumptom]

>>>>Near Saddam/Soviet/North Korea type numbers. Hive mind in action.

Mormon opposition to Mormon Harry Reid invalidates this point.

Romney saved Utah from the shame of the scandal and debt ridden Olympics and turned it into t astunning success. It was the first major event after 9/11 and reminded the world what a Great Nation the US is. Utahn's saw first hand what kind of executive he would be.

For those who seem to be slow reading the tea leaves as to why he is winning the ground game in Iowa only need to read his book to understand why he is the best businessman in North America and how he aplied that expertise to saving the Olympics and turning Mass' 3 billion deficit to a 1 billion surplus. He has brought that expertise to the campaing.

[Dr. Thorne]

Wisdom and discernment among Iowa voters are infuriatingly non-existant. The two GOP front-runners are the country club Republican version of Bill Clinton (high taxes, open borders, anti-conservative) or the member of a cult founded by a liar who sought to twist the truth of the Gospel to create his own Utopia.

We need to start beating the drum right now with the message that the Iowa Caususes are entirely meaningless.

[flowerplough]

As the Gays, lesbians, bisexuals, transgendereds, and such simply shovel money at Democrats, so Mormons are Romney’s cash cows?

[cubreporter]

and this is news? Has this not ever happened before????

[Rameumptom]

From Ann Coulter's CPAC speech

AUDIENCE MEMBER: What do you think of Governor Romney's candidacy for presidency?

COULTER: What do I think of Governor Romney's candidacy for presidency? I think he's probably our best candidate. I mean, I think it is fair to say -- and this is coming from someone who supported Pete DuPont, Alan Keyes, Pat Buchanan, Steve Forbes. So, you know, it's not like I won't go for an underdog.... And also, the one thing that I have a very soft spot for is that I love Mormons. And the reason why I love Mormons, well, among other things, is -- you may have forgotten this -- Bill Clinton in Utah in 1992 came in third in Utah. Now, that's a fine state.

____________________

Utahn's have btter consevative voting track record than any other state in the Nation. A couple of other flaws in the articles argument are found. Utah is only 62% Mormon. IOW, most non Mormons there endorse Romney who is from out of state. (The Olympic effect). If you think Mormons and non mormons in Utah always agree, you've never lived in Utah. They all recognize him as a great leader who will advance the conservative cause. Iowa is what less than 1% Mormon? What about other places he has led in the polls Michigan, SC? Romney appeals to non mormons. Besides prominent Mormons have endorsed others instead of Romney. Mormon Governor of Utah HUnstmans has endorsed McCain. Constituion party memebrship is high in Utah, guess who they endorse? Romney ranks highest among donations from entrepeneurs and business owner and Wall street (the CEO of EBAY etc.)

[Leisler]

I live in Massachusetts and am quite familiar with Mitt’s support and assistance to the further growth of the state government and it’s powers.

Utah didn’t need the money because of 9/11, but because of cryonyism and stealing. Basically, he got a 3-400 million dollar socialist welfare bailout to subsidies prima dona athletes, Utah business hacks and politicians and wealthy spectators. Not something I’d associate a true conservative with.