Free Republic

Former congressman Virgil Goode Jr. has qualified for the presidential ballot in Virginia, the State Board of Elections ruled Tuesday, adding a potential obstacle to Republican Mitt Romney’s hopes of winning the pivotal state. The state Republican party has already challenged the eligibility of Goode, who is the Constitution Party’s nominee, and could still get him knocked off the ballot.

Former Fifth District Congressman Virgil Goode blasted presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney as “the father of homosexual marriages” in a statement released to the news media on the eve of Romney’s visit to Liberty University this weekend. Goode, now running for president on the Constitution Party ticket, referred to Romney’s move as Massachusetts governor to issue same-sex marriage licenses in the wake of a state-court ruling. “Gov. Romney did not stand fast in favor of traditional marriage,” said Goode, who lost his Fifth District seat in 2008 to Democrat Tom Perriello. Goode said he has been a “consistent supporter...

The basic reason Romney should be opposed by conservatives is that Romney is not a conservative. More specifically, Romney is the author of the $50 abortion, the originator of the gay marriage license, and the founder of big government-forced health care. Those 3 are a mix of social and fiscal issues. The conclusion is that Romney is neither a fiscal conservative nor a social conservative. His tenure as governor of Massachusetts proves that point. Now, as Romney is touted as the “etch-a-sketch” candidate who will shortly begin his tack to the left, principled conservatives will do well to begin listing...