

Can a Mormon win the presidential election? Florida's Reverend O'Neal Dozier doesn't think so. The senior pastor, who has publicly expressed support for Rick Santorum, wants Mitt Romney to denounce his Mormonism. And no, it has nothing to do with posthumous baptisms.

The Mormon religion is prejudiced against blacks, Jews and the Native American Indians. These allegations are substantiated and validated by the writings of the former prophets and seers of the Mormon church.

Until 1978, black people weren't allowed to become Mormon priests, and because of that, Dozier believes that black voters will never stand behind Romney. Of course, as the "honorary chairman" of Santorum's Florida campaign, Dozier does have a clear bias.

And his efforts are all for naught, anyway, since Romney has made it clear he would never denounce or distance himself from Mormonism. In a 2007 speech, the current Republican frontrunner responded to those who wished he'd leave the Church of Latter-day Saints.

They would prefer it if I would simply distance myself from my religion, say that it is more a tradition than my personal conviction, or disavow one or another of its precepts. That I will not do. I believe in my Mormon faith and I endeavor to live by it.

In response to accusations of racism, the Mormon church released a statement last month to remind the public that, "We do not tolerate racism in any form." And while they acknowledge the former ban placed on black priests, they don't know how that particular restriction started — just that "it ended decades ago."

[Image via AP]