
Some black clergy see no good presidential choice between a Mormon
candidate and one who supports gay marriage, so they are telling their
flocks to stay home on Election Day. That's a worrisome message for the
nation's first African-American president, who can't afford to lose any
voters from his base in a tight race.
The pastors say their congregants are asking how a true Christian could
back same-sex marriage, as President Barack Obama did in May. As for
Republican Mitt Romney, the first Mormon nominee from a major party,
congregants are questioning the theology of the Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints and its former ban on men of African descent in the
priesthood.
In 2008, Obama won 95 percent of black voters and is likely to get an
overwhelming majority again. But any loss of votes would sting.