Mitt Romney is one of two mainstream Republican candidates for president in 2012 that professes to be a devout Mormon. Jon Huntsman, the former governor of Utah, is the other. Voters locally and nationally will find out how much Romney's Mormon faith will matter after the Saturday presidential preference primary in South Carolina.
Here's a look at why being a Mormon may matter in the 2012 GOP primary elections.
New Research
The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life did a comprehensive survey on Mormons across the U.S. The study was called "Mormons in America" and was published Thursday.
More than 1,000 Mormons were surveyed. Nearly half of them believe Mormons are discriminated against in the U.S. Less than two percent of Americans identify themselves as Mormons. Only 28 percent of non-Mormons surveyed in a separate study identified Mormon as a mainstream religion.
Yet 97 percent of Mormons see themselves as Christians. Two-thirds of all Mormons see themselves as supporters of the Republican Party. About 40 percent of those Mormons surveyed believe the GOP is friendly towards their religious beliefs.
A Pew study done in 2009 states more than three-fourths of Mormons live in Western states such as Utah and California. Only about 12 percent of Mormons in the United States live in the South.
South Carolina's Case
The Tampa Bay Times reports only 37,000 Mormons live in South Carolina, which is less than one-half of 1 percent of the state's entire population. The Washington Post reports Romney hasn't even mentioned his religion on the campaign trail in South Carolina, which is unlike his failed 2008 campaign in the state. Yet in early January, CNN reports Romney's campaign sent a mass mailing to residents touting his faith first. The brochure is entitled "Faith. Family. Country."
Romney seems to be trying to come across as a religious conservative without calling himself as Mormon. Mediaite.com reports the left-leaning MSNBC network interviewed political analyst Jimmy Williams. He alleges some of his Republican allies in South Carolina have stated Romney's Mormon faith is an issue.
South Carolina residents identify themselves mostly as Protestant Christians. Whether or not those tenets will be enough to elect Mitt Romney as the state's choice to the national convention will be seen on Jan. 21 when voters go to the polls.
William Browning is a research librarian specializing in U.S. politics. Born in St. Louis, Browning is active in local politics and served as a campaign volunteer for President Barack Obama and Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill.
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