Photo: Wolfgang Staudt
Ken at Oblogatory Anecdotes, along with many other Mormon Romney supporters, is naturally very disappointed about Mitt’s withdrawal from the Republican race. Like many Mormons Ken is convinced Romney was defeated “for the most part because of his affiliation with Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.” But unlike some, Ken places the blame squarely and solely on everyone’s favorite liberation theologist, Mike Huckabee.
Ken goes so far as to say that “Huckabee’s main motivation for entering and staying in the race is his hatred of Mormons.” While that’s clearly a bit much, it’s a view he says is commonly held among Mormons in Utah. Ken goes on to predict that Utah may vote Democrat if Huckabee is named he VP by McCain. While Utah deserting the GOP for Hillary or Obama seems like a fantastically remote possibility, consider that in the state, opposition to Huckabee is indeed very fierce. In the Utah primary the crypto-theocrat finished dead last (behind even Ronpaul), with a mere 1% of the vote. The worst defeat Huckabee has suffered anywhere.
It’s just a thought, but it might be useful for secular and economic conservative opponents of Huckabee to explore an alliance with concerned Mormons, to exert pressure on the McCain campaign to resist the temptation for the dreaded “ecumenical reform coalition.” Surely it is asking too much of loyal Republican Mormons in Utah to vote for a man they widely perceive to be a bigot against their faith. Of course, McCain has rarely proven sensitive to pressure from within the party, so it may be a useless exercise.
Thanks for the trackback and your comments. I could see Utah going for Obama purhaps, but not for Hilary who is too polorizing. I was actually very disappointed in Barak Obama’s reaction to the departure of Mitt Romney stating he ran an “ineffective campaign” I thought it was very classless for him to say that the very day Romney withdrew. It goes not show that Obama still has some maturing to do. Not, to mention the fact he is dead wrong. I think Romney would have won if Mike Huckabee had not have divided the conservative vote.
I can’t really see Utahans voting Democrat even with Huckabee on the ticket, Ken. Disengagement seems more likely. But even if a third of Republicans in Utah stayed home, the GOP ticket would still win. And as you say, it doesn’t take much effort to cook up the argument that Obama will be far worse.
I do think Huckabee as veep will directly imperil financial donations to the McCain campaign, from both Mormons and economic conservatives, due to his hostility to Mormonism and general socialist outlook, record and policy proposals. That’s the perhaps the most persuasive practical argument that can be laid before the McCain campaign.
Well, If Utah is against Huckabee then what that tells you is that Mormons are against Christians.
But I don’t think so- Romney is a Mormon and this race on both sides has become one about race , religion and the Clintons . Ok, maybe it’s about the first woman president also.
I don’t think it fair to portray Huckabee as being hostile to Mormons any more than I think the guy at work who is trying to convert me to Mormonism is hostile towards me .
We have to see our common values as conservative Republicans regardless of our religion. This is a political race, not a religious one.
Many want to back either the first black president, the first woman president, the first Baptist preacher president, the first POW president.
All we need is a true Republican conservative president.