Rep. Raul Labrador, R-Idaho, has advice for Mitt Romney, a fellow Mormon: Talk about your religion.
“He should talk about who he is and what formed him,” Labrador said on NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday. He said Romney should mention his missionary experience more to voters because “it’s one of the most formative things you can do in your life.” Romney spent two years in France trying to win Mormon converts.
Labrador also suggested that Romney share his experience as a Mormon bishop counseling people with problems, as it would show he has experience dealing with issues like poverty.
But he did have a warning for the former Massachusetts governor. "You shouldn't be getting into the theology because there's, every church has a different dogma, a different teaching,” Labrador cautioned.
Romney rarely discusses his religion on the campaign trail, in part to avoid the controversy that still swirls around Mormonism. Some analysts say he is losing votes among evangelicals because of it.
“We need to realize that what you need to look at is the man, the man, Mitt Romney,” Labrador said. “We need to look at his life and the things that he has done. And he's had a very, very good life.”
Labrador did say that it’s impossible to divest a politician entirely from his religious views -- and that's why Romney should open up about his.
“Everyone in politics is going to have some sort of role, is going to be influenced by, their faith. I think we can’t talk about having politics void of any religious faith. Because then what you’re saying is, you’re asking people to not be who they are,” he said.
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