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Mormons Like Huntsman more than Romney?

by Tom McGregor

Thu, Jan 5, 2012, 03:47 AM

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, a Mormon, may have won the 2012 Republican Iowa caucus, but that doesn’t mean he’s more popular with Mormons than Jon Huntsman, a Republican presidential candidate who got trounced in Iowa. Apparently, a Mormon businessman from Utah once explained to the Dallas Blog that most Mormons secretly prefer to vote for Huntsman to Romney.

He explained that the Huntsman family is more influential and powerful in the Mormon Church since the family has billions of U.S. dollars in assets, while the Romney family only holds hundreds of millions of U.S. dollars in assets. According to his logic, “Huntsman money is better than Romney money.”

This would explain why Jon Huntsman is preparing to launch a very negative campaign against Romney during the GOP New Hampshire primary. The Mormon businessman explained that, “they want Huntsman to be the first Mormon president even if that means a fight against Romney.” He claims that, “Romney is simply a test candidate, so Huntsman will learn from his campaign mistakes when he runs again for president in 2016 or later.”

This sounds like a ludicrous political maneuver if these claims are true, but it does pose a question: Why is Huntsman campaigning against a fellow Mormon, Romney, since the former Massachusetts governor stands a good chance of gaining the Republican presidential nomination this year?

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written by SixMom , January 05, 2012

This is the most ludicrous article ever. Huntsman was not a popular Utah governor and you're working off the myth that Mormons all walk in lock-step and think and vote alike. Our candidate choices are as varied as our bachelor's degrees. Have you seen the polls coming out of Salt Lake? Romney trumps them. This article is so far off the mark, we're all sitting here rolling our eyes.

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written by David in Plano , January 05, 2012

Wow - this really comes out of left field. I'm don't know who you were talking to, but his point-of-view bears little resemblance to what I see on the ground.

As an active, connected Latter-day Saint, let me assure you that Mormons have always been excited about Mitt Romney. He carried Utah with something like 90% of the vote in the last primary, even when McCain was pretty inevitable at the time (and Huntsman was endorsing McCain). Romney has served in the church his whole life. When we see him, it's like seeing a competent, somewhat glamorized version of ourselves. He's like a local boy who decided to serve his country and is off doing great things.

We wish Huntsman the best, but he's not "one of us" in the same way. He hasn't served in the church. That point can't be understated because it provides a universal set of shared experiences for Mormons. He downplays his association with the church - another big no-no. He's considered to be a "Jack Mormon," or a Mormon in name who doesn't attend church or fully live the values. It's exciting to see two Mormons in the race, but the preference is almost universally for Romney.

The whole thing about Huntsman money vs. Romney money is absurd. There's no country club mentality in the church that values one pedigree over the other. Huntsman does benefit from the fact that his grandfather was a church Apostle (OK, that kind of pedigree matters), and his father uses his resources to help church administration, but this thing about money is way off-the-mark.

Finally, when you ask, "Why is Huntsman campaigning against a fellow Mormon," you severely overestimate the central organization on things like this. Huntsman and Romney are campaigning because they want to be president. End of story. There's so sense of people waiting their turn. There's no central structure choosing our Mormon candidates. And there's no inherent institutional preference for one candidate or the other, or even for a Mormon candidate.

In the future, it might help to check the pulse of multiple people in the Mormon community before publishing the opinion of a single individual.

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written by Jdd , January 05, 2012

Your friend is simply mistaken. While some Mormons do support Huntsman, Romney is generally seen as more dedicated to his Mormon faith than Huntsman. And polls clearly indicate that Romney is the favorite in Utah. Mormons don't really care "whose money is better." Like everyone else, they want someone who will best represent them. Since when does some random thing an uninformed friend said constitute news anyway?

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written by Nayajja , January 05, 2012

What is ludicrous is the premise of this article--that Mormon's prefer Huntsman because he is the richest. And what is the evidence for this whopper? That some unnamed Mormon businessman "once explained" this to some guy.

And the conclusion--Romney a test candidate? Boy, these Mormons must be really good at conspiracies.

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written by Alma Allred , January 05, 2012

The answer to your final question is Huntsman is expecting Romney to lose to Obama and is positioning himself for a 2016 run.

Most Mormons I know are a little embarrassed by Huntsman and wish he'd go away. Many wonder if Huntsman is much more than a cultural Mormon at that. While else would he be willing to raise his adopted children as a Buddhist and Hindu? If Huntsman were to get the scrutiny that other temporary poll leaders have received, he'd implode faster than Gingrich--of course it's hard to implode from 2%.

The idea that they like his inherited money over Romney's earned money is just nonsense. It's as absurd as the idea that Mormons prefer Huntsman. Utah polls consistently reflect Romney's dominance over Huntsman; and that isn't propelled by so-called gentiles.

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written by Dave , January 05, 2012

I think it has less to do with money and more to do with Romney's stint as Governor. Some fellow Latter-Day Saints I know don't like Huntsman for marrying outside the Church. I like Huntsman for his honesty, sanity (compared to the other options on the right) and patriotism. I don't like either men as they push an anti-American pro-"free" trade agenda that has destroyed American jobs and gutted our economy. I can't tell the difference between Obama and Romney. Both are willing to say what they have to to get votes, neither keeps their word. May Huntsman will keep his and get us out of all the wars we shouldn't be in, but I don't have much faith in him either.

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written by LDSRevelations , January 05, 2012

Mormons like Huntsman more than Mitt Romney? Please, you have to be joking. Clearly LDS skew conservative... often highly conservative and for most of them Romney fits the bill. Not only is he more conservative than Huntsman on most issues (at least he is now) but Romney is also a more orthodox, literal Mormon which is extremely important to LDS. In Utah which boasts the highest LDS population in nation Romney is somewhat of a folk hero amongst LDS because of his prominence, wealth and mostly his handling of the 2002 Winter Olympics. In the Utah County UT, arguably the most Mormon place in the world, Romney took something 94% of the vote in 2008 Primary.

By contrast Huntsman is viewed by many conservative LDS akin Harry Reid. They agree that he self identifies as Mormon but view him with suspicion for his moderate (what they see as liberal) views.

True, Huntsman was Governor of Utah and enjoyed high approval ratings but later actions as Governor ( supported Cap and trade and signed the Western Climate Initiative, cut some regulations, including Utah's very strict alcohol laws.) and the fact that he accepted the Ambassador to China job from Obama has made him less popular amongst conservative Mormons.

From my perspective your Mormon businessman source is incorrect about LDS view on Huntsman, especially outside of Utah.

It is somewhat irrelevant however because in the end LDS will take any LDS President the can get. This is as much about LDS having their faith validated and accepted as anything else.

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written by Tyler , January 05, 2012

This is ridiculous. I am a Mormon and know a lot of Mormons. I have not met one who prefers Huntsman to Romney. Most are a little put off by the distance that Huntsman is putting between himself and the Church. He doesn't "own up" to his Mormonism. That doesn't sit very well with most Mormons. I think this is reflected in the fact that donations to Romney in Utah, which has a lot Mormons, are nine times the donations to Huntsman. The argument that Huntsman is preferred because his family has more money is just silly.

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written by Jerry , January 05, 2012

Oh please! this has not any support from any figure in the GOP. From all the mormon representatives not anyone has endorsed Huntsman. 8 mormon congressists have endorsed Romney. Romney is leading the polls in ID, UT and NV. This is only hunstman advertising.

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written by Are you serious? , January 05, 2012

Wow, this is based on zero facts. If you did research you would find that in a head to head match up in Utah Romney destroys Huntsman 80 to 2012. The idea that there is a Mormon conspiracy to stop Romney is the silliest assertion I have heard this cycle.

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written by DFW Mormon , January 05, 2012

How could an unnamed "Mormon businessman" in Utah possibly know what most Mormons "secretly" prefer? I am a lifelong "Mormon" living in DFW -- meaning a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. In my personal experience leadership in the church has no relation to personal wealth; and I thus disagree with the assertion that Hunstman is somehow more "influential and powerful" than Romney in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints because of their respective wealth. Indeed, the wealth-based assertion completely overlooks the fact that that many members of the Romney family have served in important church leadership roles, including Marion G. Romney, who served in the first presidency of the church as an Apostle. The wealth-based assertion also is in conflict with a key tenant of the church’s doctrine: “he that is least among you all, the same shall be great.”

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written by miblue , January 05, 2012

Watch the Utah primary. Romney will win with 80 plus percent. The assertion by this unnamed "businessman"is absurd. Everyone wants to be respectful of the Huntsman's for all they have done for our state and community. Wonderful people, but the ideas in this article are completely inaccurate.

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written by Melissa , January 05, 2012

This article is ridiculous. I am LDS and very active politically. I have never heard anyone say they prefer Huntsman for his $$ or for any reason at all. What a load of hot air. Huntsman doesn't even consider himself really Mormon saying his Mormonism is "hard to define." LDS people are as diverse as any other religion, with a ton of staunch Democrats and Ron Paul fans. Making us all sound like one big lump of silly sheep hoping for a "Mormon" president just shows your ignorance. Why not report instead on the group of famous Evangelicals trying to get together to get anyone but a Mormon. Please stop the ignorance rather than encouraging it.

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written by lee , January 05, 2012

What a stupid remark. Just ask any mormon in Utah. It is about an 80% to 20% difference favoring Romney. The Mormon church would not and does not endorse any candidate. Research your facts a little better. Everyone knows that Huntsman is still mad because Romney got the Olympic gig over Huntsman and that is what lies at the root. Huntsman senior campaigned for 'romney in 08 while junior endorsed McCain.

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written by @UtahMormonDemoGuy , January 05, 2012

As a Mormon who does prefer Huntsman, I am afraid I disagree with your analysis. I think most actively practicing Mormons prefer Rommey because he is much more in the orthodox, Mormon mold than Huntsman. Especially in this race, Huntsman has made some comments about his relatively relaxed approach to his Mormon faith and religious practice. This makes a lot of "active Mormons" very suspicious or even hostile. Romney, on the other hand, has followed a very traditional Mormon path that most LDS are comfortable with. Every public opnion poll I have seen bears this all out.

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written by TheElliott , January 05, 2012

I'm a Mormon, and I find this article completely ridiculous.

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written by SixMom , January 05, 2012

I see there are no comments approved. I'm guessing most of them are vetting your "facts" and don't agree with your article?

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written by Jeff , January 05, 2012

I would simply suggest you check your source for credibility. My guess is many of the LDS faith may feel strongly for Huntsman Sr., as for Jon--his response to questions about his faith has given many LSD members cause for concern

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written by Tom , January 05, 2012

Incredibly funny article. I don't know which is funnier, the fact that the article is based entirely on the the conversation with a one "Mormon businessman from Utah" or the ludicrous postulations that Romney is a test candidate for Huntsman.

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written by Ben , January 05, 2012

I think Hunstman is an arrogant jerk who has managed to alienate whole states at a time.

I'm Mormon and won't vote for either, go RON PAUL!

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written by cantabman , January 05, 2012

Ludicrous is right. As an exercise in rational thought, I'll present the following statement: "A businessman once told me...". Doesn't exactly sound like an authority in anything (not even in business as we saw from the economic crisis).

A catholic businessman once told me, "don't believe everything you hear". He may have been right.

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written by Biff Boffo , January 05, 2012

The proposition that Mormons favor Huntsman over Romney because his family has more assets is laughable. First, Mormons overwhelmingly prefer Romney over Huntsman (check the polls in Utah). Second, this preference for Romney has nothing to do with net worth or finances. Romney is upfront about his strong Mormon beliefs and Huntsman has to be pushed to even admit he is still a member of the church. A willingness to stand up for Mormonism goes a long way with church members.

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written by gunnro , January 06, 2012

Well, after reading these posts, I guessing you will do a little more research next time.

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written by Stephen Morley , January 06, 2012

Dumbest article ever. Its like the game I heard it from a friend who heard it from a friend. Unfortunately I don't believe that the UTAH Businessman exists. I am still trying to figure out what makes Huntsman money better then Romney money. Anyone got an answer to that one? I am going to mark this blog down as Fat liar Blog unless it names its unnamed UTAH businessman.

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written by sandeeM , January 06, 2012

Where on earth do you get this stuff? Totally untrue, really! It's just nonsense! And by the way, nobody's money gives them any influence in the church what ever. Our church does not work like that, even a tiny bit!
(Really, do you think you could do a bit more checking next time, before you run with a story that has no substance?)

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written by DennisO , January 12, 2012

"A Salt Lake Tribune poll in August found that 71 percent of Utah residents who identified themselves as Republicans supported Romney, compared with 13 percent for Huntsman" - Deseret News, Jan. 10 (Utah Newspaper). This has to be embarrassing for the former Utah Governor. When you lose your own state that badly it has to say something for Huntsman's "stellar" record in Utah.

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