BOCA RATON, Fla.— Mitt Romney defended his membership in the LDS Church — and his money — at the Republican presidential debate Thursday as polls show a close race between the former Massachusetts governor and Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.

Although the debate questions focused on the economy and then ranged from national defense to English-language requirements and gun ownership rights, moderators asked Romney about polls that indicate people do not believe a Mormon can unite the country. They also asked him how much of his own personal fortune he would be willing to put into the campaign.

Romney's membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been a topic of discussion since his campaign started.

Moderator Brian Williams said an NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll coming out today said that 44 percent of those polled said a Mormon president would have a difficult time uniting the country.

"You know, I just don't believe that people in this country are going to choose their candidate based on which church he or she goes to ...," Romney said during the debate at Florida Atlantic University. "My faith isn't terribly well known around this country. But I don't think for a minute the American people are going to say, 'You know what, we're not going to vote for this guy for a secular position because of his church."'

Romney, who gave a speech specifically focusing on religion late last year, said the Founding Fathers and the Constitution say that no religious test should ever be required for public office.

"I don't believe for a minute that Republicans or Americans for that matter are going to impose a religious test when the founders said it's as un-American as anything you can think of," Romney said. "I just don't believe it."

Beyond the religion question, money is a key issue in these remaining days before Tuesday's primary in Florida and the Feb. 5 Super-Duper Tuesday, when Republican elections will take place in more than 20 states.

Television ads, town hall meetings, bus tours and plane rides all cost money, and candidates have to pick and choose how to spend their remaining dollars wisely.

Romney would not specifically answer a question from moderator Tim Russert on how much of his own money he has put into the campaign so far or how much of his own fortune he would use. Romney said he would release his latest campaign finance report on Jan. 31, when it is due, "and probably not a minute earlier."

"But why not tell the voters of Florida and across the country how much of your own wealth you're spending, so they can make a judgment and factor that into their own decision?" said Russert, who hosts a show on MSNBC.