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Power and soul struggle: Vander Plaats Says He's Still Searching for Clarity (Iowa FAMiLY leader endorsement angst) …………..”Sources familiar with the meetings at Walnut Creek Church have indicated that the goal of the meeting is to come to a conclusion as to which candidate social conservatives should rally behind. In the first meeting there was no consensus, but when they met for a second time, a new candidate rating system was unveiled. What TheIowaRepublican.com was told is that Bachmann received the highest ranking with 36 points, followed by Santorum with 35.5, Perry with 34, and Gingrich with 31.5.

It’s unknown who created the criteria and what it all entails, but the meeting has a large contingent of Bachmann supporters. The reason why this is important is because TheIowaRepublican.com was told that this group has been charged with making a recommendation to the FAMiLY Leader’s board before they decide on who they will endorse. When asked why his board of directors cannot make a decision on their own, Vander Plaats admitted that the board will seek the input of others, and added that, “Wisdom comes in a multitude of counsel.”

Since showering praise on Gingrich in an interview with the Des Moines Register following the forum, social conservatives leaders around the state have been grumbling about what they think is a likelihood that Vander Plaats may endorse Gingrich.

Yesterday, an anonymous letter from a group called Iowans for Christian Leaders in Government distributed an open letter that they had sent Vander Plaats warning him about the negative ramifications that endorsing Gingrich would bring. The letter stated that Vander Plaats’ endorsement “may be guided, not by prayer and conviction, but by personal benefit and prior relationships.”

Vander Plaats traveled the state in 2008 to advocate on behalf Gingrich’s American Solutions. Gingrich also provided financial support to Vander Plaats’ effort to defeat three Iowa Supreme Court justices last fall. Vander Plaats also received financial support from the American Family Association and worked with Wayne Hamilton, a key Perry aide. …………

While Vander Plaats and the FAMiLY Leader are still searching for clarity, there is one thing he was very clear about. The process is more difficult because their goal is not to just find a candidate who can beat President Obama next fall, but this candidate also needs to be able to beat Mitt Romney.

The only question for Vander Plaats and the FAMiLY Leader is, what kind of candidate will best accomplish that goal? A surefire conservative whose core convictions match theirs, or a candidate who already has momentum or has the connections that may pay dividends down the road?”