Rachel Zoll

Mitt Romney's weak appeal so far with white evangelicals will be in the forefront as the GOP presidential primaries move into Southern states where most Republicans are born-again Christians.

Mitt Romney's newly released tax returns provide more than an accounting of the Republican presidential candidate's remarkable personal wealth. The documents also give a rare glimpse into tithing to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by one of its most prominent members.

Romney reports he will give a total of $4.13 million to the LDS Church over two years as part of his overall charitable donations. The former Massachusetts governor reported income of about $43 million for the two years. Separately, over the past decade, Romney and his wife, Ann, have given more than $4.7 million to the denomination through the Tyler Charitable Foundation, a multimillion-dollar trust the couple leads.

GREER, S.C. — The second time around, the shock has worn off.

The prospect of a Mormon president appears to be less alien to South Carolina Republicans who are giving Mitt Romney a second look after his failed White House bid in 2008.

Still, worries about his faith persist in a state where one pastor jokes there are “more Baptists than people.” Voters preparing for the Jan. 21 presidential primary are weighing whether Romney’s religion should matter so much when they cannot pay their bills and a Democrat many distrust occupies the White House.