"I think there's a lot of mystery about Mormonism. A lot of people don't know much about it, but they know they don't like it and that there's something vaguely sinister about it," he said. "The Mormonism is a going to be a problem. I don't know how big."

He wouldn't be the first high-profile LDS presidential candidate. Joseph Smith, the church founder, ran and Romney's father, former Michigan Gov. George Romney, had a brief bid for the GOP nomination as did Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah.

But if the coverage and reaction to his potential candidacy is any indication, Mitt Romney's run would certainly receive more widespread attention than the past bids by LDS Church members.

Already, Romney is touted as one of the top contenders for the Republican nomination in 2008. Political handicappers typically rank him behind only Arizona Sen. John McCain and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani.

Both McCain and Giuliani have already formed presidential exploratory committees, and McCain counts among his supporters two of Utah's top politicos, Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. and Attorney General Mark Shurtleff.

Romney, though, has yet to take that step, although money is being raised for his political action committees. His Commonwealth PACs are being used to court conservative support by funding local candidates in key primary states such as South Carolina.

The spokesman for the Commonwealth PAC, Jared Young, said he doesn't believe religion will be an issue if Romney runs. "The American people vote for a commander in chief," Young said, "not a pastor in chief."

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