Is This the End of the Religious Right in America?

Damian Thompson thinks it is. He makes an interesting point regarding Mitt Romney's beliefs:

"Two points worth noting about this election. First, the Religious Right – and how dated that phrase already sounds – united around a candidate who, by most standards, is not even a Christian. The lack of an anti-Mormon backlash among orthodox Catholics and Protestants who were brought up to regard Latter-day Saints as sinister cultists tells its own story."

I can't disagree. I witnessed a great deal of dismay at Romney's candidature from my American friends. I can't help but wonder if this means that a good number of Republicans did not vote for him? Certainly there is a broad swath of Christian American who would not have supported Romney, and probably, not Santorum either for his Catholic credentials. Everything I have read about Romney suggests his personal morality is of a very high standard, married to the same woman since he was seventeen, gave tons to charity, as well as a lifetime of service, even if we Brits don't want to know or believe that, and this is an interesting contrast with Bill Clinton for example. I wonder is Damian right? Are we seeing the emergence of America's secular liberal majority?

I also wonder how this looks to non-religious people watching it all. They probably find it hard to understand why it matters that Mitt is a devout Mormon. Or they think it is merely a further proof of his eccentricity.

So what does this say about the election?

It could mean that despite what the pundits say, the religious right may not be dead. If they could find a candidate the majority could unite behind, they could again elect a President.