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Religious leaders rally behind Rick Santorum
Los Angeles Times ^ | January 14, 2011 | Kim Geiger

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 ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Front Page News; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: evangelicals; gopprimary; santorum; southcarolina
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To: RasterMaster
I guess the bitter Newtie nitwits will equally dismiss every conservative who endorses Santorum over their “golden boy”.


People are free to support whoever they want. When a group of people gets together in a meeting to decide who "conservatives" are going to support, that comes off as a bit presumptuous.

81 posted on 01/14/2012 7:22:50 PM PST by rob777
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To: Cincinatus' Wife
"Well, they’re going to find out."


So far, it is not working out very well: http://www.thestatecolumn.com/articles/poll-mitt-romney-leads-ron-paul-by-20-points-in-south-carolina/ Romeny now has a bigger lead than he ever did.
82 posted on 01/14/2012 7:30:10 PM PST by rob777
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To: TitansAFC; Cincinatus' Wife; TBBT; All
26 posted on Saturday, January 14, 2012 1:55:39 PM by TitansAFC (Rick Santuckabee is 2012’s version of Mike Huckatorum. Avoid Conservicide voting; support Newt!!): “You guys are spot on. One problem we need to deal with next election is Iowa. We have got to preemptively nip the religious leaders there in the bud before they propel another one-percenter with no money or organization into a bona fide vote splitter. I have had enough Santuckabees for one lifetime.”

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.

83 posted on 01/14/2012 7:42:58 PM PST by darrellmaurina
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To: patriot08
And yet we had FReepers getting spastic over Perry signing an instate tuition bill in TX when the bill went through the legislature by a vote of 170-4

Do you believe that Rick Perry supports that legislation and is in favor of it?
84 posted on 01/14/2012 7:50:42 PM PST by af_vet_rr
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To: Cincinatus' Wife
Rick Santorum played the D.C. insider earmarks game.

He did the GOP establishment bidding and supported Arlen Specter.

He is a “team player.”


And Perry had friends and former staffers who turned lobbyists and benefited from their ties to Perry.

And lest we forget, Perry supported Rudy Giuliani for President in 2008. Rudy is probably more sleazy than Specter, although both are despicable men.

I'm not sold on Santorum just yet, but Santorum, Newt, and Perry all have their problems.
85 posted on 01/14/2012 7:54:29 PM PST by af_vet_rr
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To: af_vet_rr

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.


86 posted on 01/14/2012 7:57:35 PM PST by patriot08 (TEXAS GAL- born and bred and proud of it!)
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To: WorldviewDad
Even after FL I think it would be too early to concede to Romney if he wins there.

FL is WAY too early for any candidate to be dropping. I don't care if Perry and Huntsman match their polls numbers, neither should drop if they want to stay in it.

Romney needs 1144 delegates. He's nowhere close to that, and FL and SC won't put him all that close.

People have got to stop buying into the MSM pushing the idea that SC is make-or-break. If they buy into that, then they probably think we should just stop the primaries and go ahead and nominate Willard.
87 posted on 01/14/2012 7:57:50 PM PST by af_vet_rr
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To: af_vet_rr
“FL is WAY too early for any candidate to be dropping. I don't care if Perry and Huntsman match their polls numbers, neither should drop if they want to stay in it.”

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.

88 posted on 01/14/2012 8:08:27 PM PST by WorldviewDad (following God instead of culture)
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To: WorldviewDad
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.

I wouldn't be surprised to see somebody drop after SC - seeing Perry going back to Texas to think about whether he should continue on or not after Iowa makes me think he'll drop after SC.

But he should stay in it if he wants to. He's not hurting Santorum or Gingrich like some claim.
89 posted on 01/14/2012 8:25:51 PM PST by af_vet_rr
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To: patriot08
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.

But to get back to the question I asked, do you believe that Rick Perry supports that legislation?
90 posted on 01/14/2012 8:45:27 PM PST by af_vet_rr
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To: af_vet_rr

Secretly, no.


91 posted on 01/14/2012 9:02:37 PM PST by patriot08 (TEXAS GAL- born and bred and proud of it!)
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To: patriot08
Secretly, no.

In 2005, he signed additional legislation to deal with legal issues that arose from the 2001 legislation.

In 2007, he publicly defended the legislation when some Republican legislators were talking about repealing it.

In 2010, he defended it during the gubernatorial election.

In 2011, in a nationally-televised debate, he said critics who don't like it don't have a heart.

If Perry secretly does not support the legislation as you claim, then that means he was publicly lying when he praised it in 2001, that he was publicly lying when he supported it in 2007, that he was publicly lying when he defended it in 2010, and that he was publicly lying when he defended it again in 2011 during his Presidential campaign.

I think a lot of things about Perry, but I have to take him at his word on this one and disagree with you. I don't see him lying about this over the past 10 years.
92 posted on 01/14/2012 9:13:59 PM PST by af_vet_rr
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To: af_vet_rr

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.


93 posted on 01/14/2012 9:16:37 PM PST by patriot08 (TEXAS GAL- born and bred and proud of it!)
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To: patriot08
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.

If you believe that, then that would mean that Rick Perry has lied about the issue a lot, and that he's done so while campaigning for the Presidency.

Somebody who would lie that much about something like that to help their political career is liable to lie about many other things.

I have to disagree with you. I think he is being honest when he has defended it.
94 posted on 01/14/2012 9:24:34 PM PST by af_vet_rr
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To: Cringing Negativism Network

No, candidates cannot assign their delegates to other candidates. Such matters are left up to the delegates themselves.


95 posted on 01/14/2012 9:47:59 PM PST by Theodore R. (I'll still vote for the Right Rick --Santorum-- if he is on the April 3 ballot.)
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To: darrellmaurina

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!


96 posted on 01/14/2012 10:50:15 PM PST by TitansAFC (Rick Santuckabee is 2012's version of Mike Huckatorum. Avoid Conservicide voting; support Newt!!)
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To: af_vet_rr
And lest we forget, Perry supported Rudy Giuliani for President in 2008. Rudy is probably more sleazy than Specter, although both are despicable men.

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

97 posted on 01/15/2012 1:41:17 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
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To: af_vet_rr
If you believe that, then that would mean that Rick Perry has lied about the issue a lot, and that he's done so while campaigning for the Presidency. Somebody who would lie that much about something like that to help their political career is liable to lie about many other things. I have to disagree with you. I think he is being honest when he has defended it.

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.

98 posted on 01/15/2012 1:53:18 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

Do you believe that Rick Perry supports the in-state tuition rates for illegals?


99 posted on 01/15/2012 2:21:17 AM PST by af_vet_rr
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To: af_vet_rr; patriot08

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.


100 posted on 01/15/2012 2:34:49 AM PST by hocndoc (WingRight.org: Have mustard seed & I'm not afraid to use it. 2 men inherited a Bush economy.)
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