Mormon Mitt Romney Wants Evangelical Vote

By Karyn Chenoweth Oct 8, 2007, 13:57 GMT

Republican Candidate for United States President Former Mayor of New York Rudy Juliani (L) and Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney shake hands during a break in the debate held at the University of New Hampshire in Durham New Hampshire USA, 05 September 2007. EPA/CJ GUNTHER

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is going after evangelicals in light of recent comments by Christian conservative leaders to back a third-party candidate.

The third-party comments made last week were by key evangelical leader, James Dobson, who said he and other social conservatives had agreed to support a "minor party" candidate if the Republicans choose a presidential nominee who is not conservative enough.

The Boston Globe reports that Dobson's statement is viewed "as significant in the Romney campaign because Dobson has ruled out supporting GOP candidates John McCain, Rudy Giuliani, and Fred Thompson but has left open the possibility of supporting Romney."

"Dr. Dobson is keeping an open mind on Mitt Romney, and I think that is because they do share in common so many values," Romney spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom said Thursday to the Globe.

Evangelicals have expressed concerns about Romney's Mormon faith, which many evangelicals see as a non-Christian religion, and his past support for abortion rights and some forms of gay rights.

The leaders of major evangelical groups have been respectful but noncommittal.

Because of the less savory GOP candidates, in the eyes of the conservatives, have left Romney as the only GOP candidate they may throw support behind.

Dobson recently denounced GOP candidate Fred Thompson for both his failure to support a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage and his ineffectiveness on the stump.

The Globe reports that late last month, Romney met privately in Salt Lake City with members of a powerful group called the Council on National Policy.

Aides said Romney assured the group that his conversion to being an abortion opponent is complete and that he supports a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage.

A day after Romney met with the council, 50 Christian conservatives headed by Dobson issued a statement saying they would back a third-party candidate if Republicans nominated someone with whom they disagreed on issues such as abortion.

The statement was widely regarded as a slap on Giuliani, who favors abortion rights.

The impact on a boycott of the GOP by social conservatives is not known, but many speculate it would be disastrous for Republicans in the upcoming election.

The Romney campaign insists he is the one major GOP candidate who can keep evangelicals in the GOP fold, despite the doctrinal differences.

The other candidates criticized by Dobson have said that his attacks are unfair, and that they are confident they can win evangelical support.

Dobson also has said he has "moral concerns" about Giuliani, who favors abortion rights and has been married three times.

"I cannot, and will not, vote for Rudy Giuliani in 2008," Dobson wrote earlier this year.

He also has said, "I would not vote for John McCain under any circumstances." McCain has criticized some religious right leaders for being too intolerant.

Last October, Dobson had words for the Romney candidacy, saying, "I don't believe that conservative Christians in large numbers will vote for a Mormon."

Dobson has met privately with Romney and changed his tune.  He said earlier this year that Romney is "very presidential, and he's got the right answers to many, many things."

Gary Bauer, a chairman of Campaign for Working Families, a conservative political action committee, who participated in the Salt Lake City meeting by telephone, said backing a third-party candidate "would do nothing other than deliver the White House on a silver platter" to Democrats.

Bauer said he could even see evangelicals backing Giuliani if he took steps to reassure them.

Richard Land, president of the Southern Baptist Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, said in an interview with the Boston Globe that he agrees with Dobson about the need for a third-party candidacy if Giuliani becomes the Republican nominee.

But he said he could support other leading GOP candidates.

Regarding Romney, Land said, most evangelicals believe Mormonism is not a Christian faith.

"But that doesn't mean they wouldn't vote for him," he said.