A great post by Jason at The Moderate Voice about Romney’s problem: yes, that he is a mormon.

Evangelical Christians at the heart of the Republican base are heirs to a long tradition of anti-Mormonism, harking back to pulpits in the midwest in the 1830s where Mormonism was disdained and feared, even to the point of openly promoting violence and leading ultimately to a historically unprecedented “order of extermination” — an official government authorization of genocide against the Mormons. Intolerance towards Mormons based on both sincere and dishonest disagreements with their religious doctrines has persisted through the years, resulting in the refusal of the Congress to seat a Mormon representative and a 3-year battle before seating a Mormon Senator. Numerous books and movies by self-styled anti-Mormon “scholars” seeking to “expose” the religion have been promoted and displayed through the network of evangelical congregations. In spite of the Church’s century-old rejection of the doctrine of “plural marriage”, the popular image of Mormons within the evangelical community remains one centered on polygamy.

On the other hand, often extreme theological differences have often been overridden by a strong political alliance. Utah is one of the most reliably Republican states in presidential politics, usually exceeded only by Idaho, which is also heavily Mormon. And while early Mormon life was actually a socialist commune, Mormons in the 1950s and later developed a “Boy Scout culture” combining large-family-based conservativism at home with a firm, often strident anti-communism abroad. Mormon politicians like Orrin Hatch hold powerful positions in the Republican Party and provide reliable support for conservative policy programs.

Along with Rudy Giuliani’s support for abortion rights, Romney’s candidacy forces Republican voters to confront directly the question of what kind of party they want to be. Will it be a party based on traditional conservative principles or a party based on evangelical religious principles?

It’s a fascinating issue: I personally know Republican voters who are dedicated to change the direction their party is going. Many more moderate, and traditionally conservative Republicans aren’t happy with the influence of the so-called Religious Right. I hope for the Republican Party that traditional conservatives win this battle: less emphasis on the so-called social issues, and more on fiscal conservatism.

That is what the Republican Party needs.