Harkin on Romney: No religious test required

U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, says Mitt Romney, the Republican presidential front-runner in Iowa, should explain his personal interpretation of the Mormon faith, what tenets are most meaningful to him and perhaps those he dismisses.

But Harkin, a Roman Catholic, says the mere fact that Romney is a Mormon shouldn’t factor in the decision-making of Iowans. Romney, the former GOP governor of Massachusetts, topped the most recent Des Moines Register Iowa Poll with 30 percent support among the definite or likely Republican caucus-goers surveyed. He led U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., (who polled 18 percent) and former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani (17 percent).

In a conference call with the Iowa Independent and other media, Harkin said he strongly believes there should be no religious test for public office in the United States.

“Obviously, people of faith in this country want to know what your faith is on what you believe because a lot of that has to do with your values and that type of thing, so obviously Romney’s going to have to explain that or talk about it,” Harkin said.  More inside.

Harkin said he personally knows many Mormons.

“I have good friends who are Mormons, and you know, they fall all over the political spectrum,” Harkin said.

He noted that U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada is a “liberal and progressive” Mormon.

“Then you have people like Orrin Hatch who are Mormons who are more conservative,” Harkin said.

There are doctrinaire people in all religions who won’t abide by any deviations, sort of “fundamentalists” and others who are more “open-minded,” Harkin said.

“I think it sort of depends on where Mr. Romney falls on that spectrum,” Harkin said. “Where he falls would be more impact in terms of how Iowans would view him.”