RNC boss hopeful religious bias past

WEST VALLEY CITY — The head of the Republican National Committee said Friday he believes voters may have moved beyond the bias against Mormonism that hurt Mitt Romney in last year's presidential election.

Speaking to reporters after a town hall meeting at the Utah Cultural Celebration Center, Michael Steele said comments he made earlier this year about Romney being rejected by the GOP base because of his faith were "old news."

"I was speaking to an attitude or a mindset at the time that I thought was unfortunate and I said that I think (Romney) proved just how unfortunate it was for people who felt that way," Steele said, "He's a good man, a principled man, a good leader for our party."

Although Romney failed to win the Republican nomination in the 2008 presidential race, Steele said voters are coming to appreciate those qualities now that Democratic President Barack Obama is in office.

Asked if the mindset against members of the LDS Church would reappear in the 2012 presidential contest, Steele said, "I hope to heaven not. I don't think so. I really don't think so." He said the party "needs to focus on its ability to reach out and embrace the diversity that defines this country."

Steele did not mention Romney, the former leader of the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, during the meeting, even when asked about future presidential hopefuls.

"I don't know who's going to show up on the stage," he said, calling on Republicans to hold true to their values and look for candidates who share them. "The rest of it works itself out after that."

The party leader had a similar response when a member of the audience of 150 or so people asked about unseating the lone Democrat in Utah's congressional delegation, Rep. Jim Matheson.

"Get me a good candidate," Steele said. While he said the national party was "coming after" Matheson, it is up to Utah Republicans to identify a candidate who could beat the four-term congressman.

Steele's words during the 90-minute town meeting comforted Joni Crane, a mother of three who'd said she has "been embarrassed to be a Republican lately," citing infighting among party members.

"I got a feeling of hope from what he said," Crane said after the meeting. "I feel like we're in good hands."

Steele said Republicans need to hold their elected leaders accountable. "We elect and forget. We elect and trust," he said.

Gov. Gary Herbert, who joined Steele onstage, said the half-filled auditorium should have been "standing room only. We've got to get engaged. We've got to get involved."

The governor told the audience he is "proud to be a Republican and I know you are, too. That doesn't mean sometimes we don't need to get out there and do some missionary work."

Herbert said he was there to tell Steele "and the rest of the country that Washington should pay attention to Utah. We're not perfect, but we're getting it right" because the state embraces GOP principles.

At a private fundraising luncheon featuring Steele before the meeting, the state party took in about $25,000, said state GOP Chairman Dave Hansen.

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