The modest gains winning over evangelical voters, he said, should be strengthened by asserting that "moral values are an important part of foreign policy."

Seventy percent of that increase was evangelical voters.

Will the predominantly evangelical Republican voters of the state support a Mormon for president?

And maybe, just maybe, there are more Catholics in America than 'evangelical voters'.

Reed designed the coalition as a bridge between the Tea Party movement and evangelical voters.

George W. Bush's electoral success owed much to his overwhelming support from white evangelical voters, who comprise 23% of the vote.

Recognizing weakness among the state's vocal evangelical voters, the Romney campaign months ago established a coalition of social conservatives who host weekly conference calls.

Declining to discuss details about his religion also reduced the risk that doctrinal differences will alienate evangelical Christian voters.

So why did evangelical voters support him in such large numbers?