This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Let's add another twist to the bizarre nature of the 2016 presidential campaign.

It's not enough that a socialist could lead the Democratic ticket this year and a Democrat could possibly win Utah if Donald Trump is the nominee, and the Republican establishment vows to take down Trump at the GOP convention, which they hope becomes a free-for-all.

On top of all that, Mormons seem to be flocking to evangelical Christian darling Ted Cruz, even though his religious roots are tied to an ecclesiastical strain that hopes to one day have dominion over them.

In fact, those faithful members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who hold on to the so-called White Horse prophecy, in which an LDS Church leader will ride in on a white horse and save the Constitution when it's hanging by a thread, have gotten it wrong, according to the "dominionist" thread of the Evangelical Christian movement.

It is one of them — the evangelicals, who will mount the proverbial white horse to save the day. And the savior of the moment would be Ted Cruz.

That should be a shock to all those passionate soldiers of the Mitt Romney for President campaign four years ago who believed that he finally was the Mormon who would be elected to the presidency and save the Constitution.

Could it actually be one of those fundamental Christians, who from time to time have preached from the pulpit or the all-mighty throne of talk radio that Mormons are not real Christians, that their notion of the Godhead is all mixed up and they aren't conservative enough?

After all, the LDS Church's official position on abortion is that it is against it, except in severe cases, like if the mother is impregnated through rape or incest, or if her life is in danger from the pregnancy.

That's blasphemy, according to the fundamental Christian orthodoxy, and by Cruz's own rhetoric, that abortion is murder no matter what the circumstance and should be banned altogether.

And on the same day that LDS Church leaders held a press conference last year giving the church's blessing to a Utah nondiscrimination bill that protects gays and lesbians from employment and housing discrimination, Rafael Cruz, the candidate's father, said in a conference call with Christian minister and conservative political commentator E.W. Jackson that such protections for gays and lesbians were "wicked" and that good Christians must stand against "all the ungodliness that is being promoted throughout our government."

Rafael Cruz has his own ministry and has stumped around the country for his son, who he has said has been "anointed" to be the leader.

In fact, at a political event in Nashville last December, Ted Cruz praised Pastor Gaylon Wiley, who he said brought his father Rafael to Christianity and saved his family. Wiley then joined Cruz at the front of the room, laid his hands on his head and "anointed" him.

Several stories in various religious news services have traced many of the Evangelicals embracing Cruz to a theory in Christianity called Dominionism, which teaches Christians must take dominion over seven aspects of culture: family, religion, education, media, entertainment, business and government. The name of the movement comes from Isaiah 2:2: "Now it shall come to pass in the latter days that the Lord's house shall be established on the top of the mountains."

During a 2012 sermon at New Beginnings Church in Bedford, Texas, Rafael Cruz described his son's political campaign as a direct fulfillment of biblical prophecy.

He said God would anoint Christian "kings" to preside over an "end-time transfer of wealth" from the wicked to the righteous.

So where do Mormons fit into this scenario? Will they be kings or have their wealth transferred to the righteous?

Romney has not exactly endorsed Cruz for president. He just said Republicans should vote for Cruz in the primaries to block Trump from the nomination. But Gov. Gary Herbert has endorsed Cruz. So has Sen. Mike Lee and right-wing Mormon commentator Glenn Beck.

And Cruz won overwhelmingly in the Utah Republican caucuses in March.

They all might want to pay heed to that old adage: "Be careful what you wish for." —