This is a question that I hope bridges this week's discussion of political parties with our very brief discussion of religious liberties when we covered civil liberties.
As we already know from class discussions and the report you have been thinking about, the battle for the Republican nominations seems to be between Mitt Romney and Not-Mitt Romney. Romney's numbers are steady, but he is regularly and briefly eclipsed by a series of alternate candidates (Bachmann, Perry, Cain, etc...). One of the reasons why - some speculate - is that the Republican Party coalition (that is the collection of different groups that comprise the party) includes factions that will not vote for a Mormon.
This could be a potentially fatal division should Romney become the party's nominee. Not that anti-Mormon Republicans woudl vote for Obama, but they may well sit this election out hoping for a better candidate i 2016 (if he is elected in 2012, chances are he is the party's nominee in 2016, so they wont have a shot at a preferred candidate until 2020).
I want you to get to the heart of this division - and also weight in on whether you think the point is overblown. Are there divisions within the party along religious lines? Do these overlap other divisions such as education and income? Perhaps these divisions reinforce themselves. What impact might these have on the party in the 2012 election? You may want to consider how the topics we covered in Federalist #10 - when we discussed Republicanism - impact this as well.
Do your own research - let me know where you get your information. 150 words at a minomum, thanks.
