He said he hopes Romney will be elected and "do a great job showing integrity, pushing family values and Christlike love, and take the nation in a great direction. My only fear is that he may be Lyndon Johnson II," Dehlin said, "and in the end take us to a place that Mormons will be associated with bad things he may do as president."

Rod Decker, a reporter for KUTV, said he thinks Romney's faith is important to him, and the focus on Mormonism will only end if he loses the Republican nomination. "I think it would be an important factor in the general election and maybe an important factor in the first part of his presidency, maybe the whole of his presidency.

"Or maybe at some point they will get mad at him for something else."

Panelists disagreed on whether Romney should give a speech distancing his decisions as president from any perceived direction by LDS leaders, much like Catholic candidate John Kennedy did regarding his relationship to the pope.

Christian blogger John Schroeder, who tracks Romney's presidential bid, said he doesn't see Romney distancing himself from his faith at all. In fact, he sees the potential for even more talk about faith if Romney wins the Republican nomination.

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