Seven reasons Mitt Romney should run for Senate in Utah

3. Identity Politics

Church and state are separated in the United States, but their religious values still influence people’s votes. In 2012, Gallup reported that 18 percent of the country would not vote for a Mormon regardless of his or her qualifications, which hurt Romney’s chances nationally. In Utah, however, his faith could help him.

Utah is the only state where The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the majority religion (60 percent). Romney is a practicing Mormon, who spent 2.5 years doing a mission in France in his early 20s.

That religious affiliation served Romney well both times he ran for president. He received 89.49 percent of the popular vote in Utah’s 2008 Republican primary. Four years later, he got 93.1 percent of Utah’s vote in the primary and 72.6 percent of the popular vote in the general election against Barack Obama. It was the highest percentage of votes for a Republican candidate in Utah’s general election since Ronald Reagan.