Mitt Romney's victory in Nevada can be partially attributed to the fact that about 25% of GOP primary voters are LDS. Romney has garnered the largest number of delegates in the primaries thus far, and is seen as the front-runner on the Republican side. Over history, a handful of Mormons have run for the American presidency, including Orrin Hatch (career politician and current Senator from Utah) and Joseph Smith, Jr. (former Church president). Now the prospect of a member of the LDS Church actually capturing the Oval Office is a pleasant shock to most American Mormons. From a persecuted group of religious believers to a mainstream American religion with a serious and viable candidate for the presidency, I guess we've come a long way.
As I've mentioned earlier in the blog, Mormons constitute a major voting bloc in the Western United States, and major presidential candidates are wise to court them and attract Latter-day Saints. Now that Nevada, a Western state, hosts its primary races earlier than most, it is an important electoral battleground, where Mormons play a key role. Nevada's Democratic Senator, Harry Reid, it also U.S. Senate Majority Leader. Many other political and public offices in Nevada are held by Mormons, including the mayor of Henderson, Nevada's third largest city.
Disclaimer: The blog does not endorse any candidate, or political party. The coverage of Mitt Romney reflects the interest of the blog's readers, etc. Thank you.
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