"Pure bunk" is how Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, defines stories circulating about Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney's political involvement with members of his own church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

"This business of prejudice against Mormons is real," Hatch told KSL-TV Monday. "There is a matter of prejudice out there, and he's going to have to overcome it if he's going to run for president."

The stories originated last week with the Boston Globe, which Hatch said is prejudiced against conservatives and is now "roughing up" Romney, a Republican who, Hatch told KSL, is among the top three or four in the party whom he'd like to see run for president.

"Those who are afraid of him are trying to take him down," Hatch said.

Romney, he added, has a "real shot" at becoming president. The more people get to know him and that he's his "own boss," the less his religious faith will be a factor, Hatch predicted.

"I think some stories are efforts of smear," Hatch said about Romney's link to the LDS Church. "I've been smeared from time to time."