Posted on 01/14/2012 11:17:25 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
In an effort to avoid a repeat of 2008, when social conservatives failed to rally behind a single Republican presidential candidate, a group of more than 100 religious leaders who gathered in Texas this week reached a consensus to support former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum.
Tony Perkins, the president of the Family Research Council, said the decision was reached after three rounds of balloting, with Santorum winning 85 votes in the final round, to Newt Gingrich’s 29. Texas Gov. Rick Perry had strong support at the beginning of the process, but was eliminated after the first round of balloting, Perkins said.
“The focus here was on people putting aside their preferences, putting aside the candidate they had signed up with, trying to reach a consensus,” Perkins said.
“Rick Santorum has consistently articulated the issues that are of concern to conservatives, both the economic and the social, and has woven those into a very solid platform,” Perkins said. “And he has a record of stability…He’s reliable.”
Three major issues guided the group: Repeal of the healthcare law that was passed in 2010, the national debt and government spending, and social conservative values.
“There were passionate speeches made on behalf of the various candidates, but there was this underlying desire to come to a consensus,” Perkins told reporters on a conference call after the event.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
Blast it, man... what do you not understand about the fact that the Republican Party and the conservative movement both draw a large part of their support from Christian conservatives? We don't control the party or the movement, but in large parts of the United States, Republicans can't win elections without us, just as we can't win elections without other conservatives whose focus is on something other than abortion, gay rights, or other moral issues.
I don't appreciate one bit your comments about needing “to preemptively nip the religious leaders there in the bud.” I expect such stuff out of Democrats. I don't expect such comments from fellow conservatives.
The conservative movement consists of social conservatives, economic conservatives, and national defense conservatives. Those are overlapping and not mutually exclusive constituencies — some of us are all three — but the fact is that we all have far more in common with each other than we do with the Democratic Party.
We all need each other if our goal is to win elections. Frankly, for a lot of us evangelical Protestants, we're already having to compromise a great deal to not just vote for but aggressively support a conservative Roman Catholic. Both Gingrich and Santorum would be denied communion in my church, as I would be barred from the Mass in theirs, and we regard each other as being members of churches which are in very serious doctrinal error if not actually apostate false churches.
If we social conservatives are willing to compromise on something that to us is literally a matter of eternal importance so we can help get a pro-life candidate elected, I think we can expect you to show at least a little bit of courtesy to us as part of the conservative coalition. We know we need you, and before you start your pre-emptive war on Christian conservatives, you'd better not forget that you need us, too.
I believe Rick is a true Conservative, and that he has done the best he could in a state over-run with Mexicans and rats.
I would agree, but I believe that some MAY drop out after FL depending on how they do...each candidate will make up their own mind based on much better information then what I have. If that would happen then the race will be completely different...Romney has not “won” a state yet (gained 50%+). He has only been the top vote getter with the majority not voting for him...this contest is no where near being decided.
Secretly, no.
I think Rick is like most of us Texans, secretly, he’d love to see them all deported and the border defended with armed guards.
No, candidates cannot assign their delegates to other candidates. Such matters are left up to the delegates themselves.
You misread my point, or else I did not properly execute my argument.
I AM a Christian Conservative; Life issues are the FOREMOST issue to me, as is religious freedom.
What I mean by “preemptively nip the leaders in Iowa in the bud” is to stop the propelling of one-percenters into bone fide vote splitters WHEN THERE IS a Pro-Life, Pro-religious freedom, Social Conservative with a considerably better chance of winning available.
Huckabee is not such an upgrade from Fred Thompson that it was worth risking everything and getting McCain. Santorum is not such an upgrade that it is worth risking everything and getting Romney. All four of them are reliable Pro-Life Social Conservatives with records of protecting religious freedom and traditional marriage.
We need very strong standards merged with pragmatism. We cannot afford anymore Iowa pipe dreams. Never again!
A lot of Texas side-stepped McCain and/or supported Rudy in that primary election. They remembered McCain's campaign tactics against Bush.
This is an interesting article about where Texas' campaign money and support was going in '08. Things just aren't back and white. Texas donors on fence for 2008 election
Gov. Perry and Texas has realistically dealt with the mess wrought on border states by Federal action and inaction. There is no more we can do to alleviate the problem with the Fed's foot on our neck.
Every request is met with silence, scorn or a bandaid. Every legal challenge is met with the US Attorney Gen. and Federal Courts tying the state up in court. Federal immigration laws on the books are ignored and/or become a financial burden on the state and businesses.
Do you believe that Rick Perry supports the in-state tuition rates for illegals?
There’s no secret. Perry has publicly stated that the courts shouldn’t force us to give free education and healthcare to illegals. He’s said that when President, his ICE, DHS, & DOJ would enforce the boarder - with “boots on the ground”- and make sure that deported illegals don’t have a “revolving door.”
No one would qualify for the exception to non-resident tuition in a Perry administration.
In the meantime, the courts *do* force us to educate these kids and the DOJ and ICE refuse to prevent them from invading and refuse to deport thefamilies or individuals, so there are young people who come here with their parents before 15 years of age, go to our schools, become assimilated enough to get accepted to our colleges. We are dealing with them as best we can, since Texas is not allowed to deport them. They’re here and going nowhere until the Feds change the way they treat the border and illegals.
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