Mormon Church Congratulates President Obama

After a year of staying out of the fray, the church’s leadership release a statement urging Americans to “come together.”

Image by Dylan Martinez / Reuters

BOSTON, Mass. — Minutes after Mitt Romney — the first Mormon presidential nominee of a major American political party — conceded the election, the leadership of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints issued a statement congratulating President Obama, and calling for a unified country.

We congratulate President Obama on winning a second term as President of the United States.

After a long campaign, this is now a time for Americans to come together. It is a long tradition among Latter-day Saints to pray for our national leaders in our personal prayers and in our congregations. We invite Americans everywhere, whatever their political persuasion, to pray for the President, for his administration and the new Congress as they lead us through difficult and turbulent times. May our national leaders reflect the best in wisdom and judgment as they fulfill the great trust afforded to them by the American people.

We also commend Governor Romney for engaging at the highest level of our democratic process which, by its nature, demands so much of those who offer themselves for public service. We wish him and his family every success in their future endeavors.