Romney's loss closes out ‘Mormon moment'

Mitt Romney's defeat appears to close out a years-long “Mormon moment,” a period of national fascination with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

It has also provoked Mormon disappointment; Romney would have been first Latter-day Saint in the White House, culminating a decades-long process of growing Mormon acceptance and influence.

But prominent Mormons and religion experts say Mormons should be heartened that Romney's candidacy appeared to help mainstream the relatively young faith, which was founded in 1830 in upstate New York. ...