Is the US ready for a Mormon president?

[Gerald]

Romney (centre) has made the economy, not social issues, his central theme

Mormon Mitt Romney is an early frontrunner among the Republicans vying to run for president - and one new opinion poll shows him in a surprise dead heat with Barack Obama. Another Mormon, Jon Huntsman, is expected to enter the race. Will their religion be an issue?

It's a nation that prides itself on having few barriers to the highest office.

Yet the prominence of two Mormons in the Republican race for the White House has raised questions about US attitudes towards the religion.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, to give its proper name, was founded in 1830 in New York State by Joseph Smith, and today has about 5.7 million members in the US.

But whether it is fully accepted is another matter, and new findings published by the Pew Research Center suggest there is still a long way to go.

Although 68% of Americans polled said their support for a candidate would be unaffected if they were Mormon, a quarter said they would be less likely to vote for them.

This rose to 34% among white evangelicals, who make up a large part of the Republican base. "It's more prevalent among the [voters] who are going to play a role in this Republican primary process," says Carroll Doherty, of the Pew Research Center.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-13674696


Note: 8 June 2011 Last updated at 11:34 GMT