Although the Iowa caucuses are six weeks away, The Family
Leader, an instrumental pro-family group in
Iowa, has narrowed its possible
endorsement list by eliminating three of the seven Republican
candidates. They are former
Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney,
Atlanta businessman Herman Cain and
Texas Congressman Ron Paul.
The evangelical vote makes up approximately 37 percent of
probable Iowa caucus voters so the impact of The Family
Leader’s endorsement could sway a number of votes to the
endorsed candidate. Just how much the group’s endorsement
will influence the caucus will probably not be known until
the votes are tallied. But with a larger percent of voters
still undecided, it could make or break a candidate’s
future.
“If we are effective or if we can effectively coalesce even
30 percent of support around a candidate it would be huge
but we first have to get there ourselves and we’re not there
yet,” Bob Vander Plaats, the group’s CEO, told The Des
Moines Register.
Vander Plaats and his organization led the charge last year
to oust three Iowa Supreme Court justices who legalized gay
marriage.
Those still being considered for endorsement are former Pennsylvania Senator Rick
Santorum, Minnesota Rep. Michele
Bachmann, Texas Gov. Rick Perry and former Speaker of the
House Newt Gingrich. In a statement released on Tuesday, the
group explained the rationale behind their decision.
“Each individual of the seven member voting Board of
Directors express many positives of Representative Ron Paul
and businessman Herman Cain. The stumbling block for the
board regarding Representative Paul dealt primarily with
‘States’ Rights’ as it pertains to the sanctity of human
life and God’s design for marriage. Regarding Mr. Cain, the
board cited a narrative of questions versus clarity on the
key issues of life, marriage, foreign policy, and
presidential readiness. The board did not give consideration
to Governor Romney.”
The elimination of Romney was not surprising given the
Massachusetts governor has not spent much time in Iowa nor
has he courted evangelical voters – a fact demonstrated by
his absence at last Saturday’s Thanksgiving Family Forum in
Des Moines.
Vander Plaats compared the group’s endorsement process to a
“three-legged stool.” The three top issues are the personal
core values of the candidate, their pro-family vision and
their ability to defeat President Obama.
The board gave no definitive timeline in announcing their
endorsement but said that it has “committed to be prayerful,
diligent, and expeditious in reaching a final decision.”
