Issue of religion dogs Romney

DES MOINES, Iowa — GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney, courting Iowa conservatives, found himself answering questions Saturday about the role his LDS faith would play should he win the race.

Romney told one questioner at a forum co-sponsored by a Christian group that "we have exactly the same values" and said there is no religious litmus test for candidates. The former Massachusetts governor dismissed suggestions of a conflict between his religion and his ability to govern. He also hastened to offer assurances of his faith.

"The Bible for me is the word of God," Romney said. "I also believe that Jesus Christ is my savior."

The questions arose as Romney prepared to join five other Republican candidates at a forum sponsored by two of the most important forces in Iowa Republican politics — the Iowa Christian Alliance and Iowans for Tax Relief.

Many conservative Christians are quietly nervous about Romney's religion, and the issue surfaced as Romney opened his campaigning at a forum in Pella, about 40 miles south of Des Moines.

Mary Van Steenis asked Romney how he would ponder important decisions as president and which source of inspiration he would seek.

"Where would the Bible be in that process?" she asked. "Would it be above the Book of Mormon or would it be beneath it?"

"I don't know that there's any conflict at all between the values of great faiths like mine, like yours, like other faiths, like Jews who don't believe in the New Testament," Romney said.

"People of faith have different doctrines and different beliefs on various topics of a theological nature. But in terms of what it is we are going to believe and also based on our values for our country, I think we come from the same place," Romney said.

The answer did not satisfy Van Steenis.

"I asked if you had to look to one source what would it be? He didn't really respond to that," she told reporters after the event. "This is serious to me."

Romney said he thinks that as people "look at me and my values and look at my family and myself they'll recognize that we have exactly the same values. This is a nation where people come from different faiths, different doctrines and different churches."

Romney aide Eric Fehrnstrom quickly issued a statement to reporters that said Romney took the oath of office as governor on his family Bible.

"He swore to follow the Constitution and uphold the laws of the land," said Fehrnstrom. "That would continue to be his highest duty as president."