Evangelicals Rally Around Rick Santorum
An evangelical group chooses Rick Santorum.
The choice came down to Gingrich or Santorum.
It seems clear to me that Santorum was one of the candidates with real social conservative cred. He, along with Bachmann and Perry, were the people I felt were the most genuine in their appeal to evangelicals. Romney majestically ignores the that block of voters. He doesn’t need ’em. Ron Paul is not a social conservative. I think Huntsman knows he and evangelicals aren’t a natural match. Stephen Colbert however might be the real deal. Or not.
Gingrich appeared to be trying to fit a mold that evangelicals would recognize. My conscience does not allow me to question his faith. That’s not mine to judge. Truth is evangelicals know they’re saved by grace. They know also that they have been forgiven much. At least I’d hope so. Gingrich sells the story of repentance and forgiveness. That is something we’re intimately familiar with.
I myself felt that he “enhanced” his appeal to social conservatives. I found his record much clearer on fiscal conservatism. I thought his earlier incarnations showed him to be a man of vast intelligence and cynicism, a ne plus ultra political insider.
Santorum troubles me. Yes, I know he’s a “true” conservative, define that as you will. He seems to have lived his faith out. He has taken unpopular stances. Maybe it is just that I’m not a fiscal conservative so his pay to play politics look a bit like he’s one of those believers who Jesus exhorts not to favor the rich (James 2:1-4).
Yet does it really matter? Are there really people who do not believe the wealthy businessman will be the Republican candidate? It surely will not be Santorum.
