Religious Right Backing Romney?

Steve Benen has rounded up some stories and come to the conclusion that the religious right is slowly coalescing around Mitt Romney because the more religious candidates are less plausible and the other plausible candidates are less religious. This inevitably raises The Mormon Question but at least one influential Evangelical has concluded that, “as a Southern Baptist evangelical and political conservatives, I am convinced I have more in common with most Mormons than I do with a liberal Southern Baptist, Methodist, Roman Catholic or a liberal from any other denomination or faith group.”

As a man without a dog in that fight, I’d agree. Romney is clearly more devout than Rudy Giuliani or John “The Baptist” McCain. Still, I wonder how much it matters who James Dobson and company decide to endorse?

There’s no sign of a pro-Romney groundswell and plenty of signs that the Republican nominating electorate views him with deep suspicion. The fact that he’s more likely to cozy up to the leadership of the Christian conservative movement — which is a movement that eschews leadership and organization — is unlikely to offset any of that.

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James Joyner
About James Joyner
James Joyner is Professor and Department Head of Security Studies at Marine Corps University's Command and Staff College. He's a former Army officer and Desert Storm veteran. Views expressed here are his own. Follow James on Twitter @DrJJoyner.

Comments

  1. Plus, Romney has the whole flip-floppery on things like abortion and gay marriage he to overcome, not to mention the fact that he comes across as rather plastic.