Some evangelicals in Republican Party are feeling left out, see no standard-bearer

[applegrove]

Some evangelicals in Republican Party are feeling left out, see no standard-bearer

By Sebastian Payne at the Washington Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/some-evangelicals-in-republican-party-are-feeling-left-out-see-no-standard-bearer/2014/08/16/77c380e8-224e-11e4-958c-268a320a60ce_story.html?tid=pm_pop

"SNIP..............................


The disconnect between social conservatives and the GOP has become a “chasm,” said Gary Bauer, who ran for the Republican presidential nomination in 2000 and is now head of the Campaign for Working Families. He pointed to the party’s two most recent presidential nominees, Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) and former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, as examples of candidates who were touted initially as having broad appeal to centrists in the general election but ultimately never inspired evangelicals and lost.

“Values voters have been treated as the stepchildren of the family, while the party has wanted to get on with so-called more electorally popular ideas,” Bauer said. “The Republican base will not tolerate another candidate foisted upon us as a guy who can win.”

Discontent among evangelicals could have implications for the GOP next year as campaigning for the presidential nomination escalates in early-voting states such as Iowa, where social conservatives are a major bloc. Their presence could complicate matters for top-tier candidates such as Christie and Paul who want to remain viable in a general election but will feel pressure to appeal to religious voters. A surge of support for more fiery contenders such as Carson or former senator Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) could turn candidate debates into a spectacle while pulling everyone to the right, affecting the party’s image more broadly.

Even if social conservatives turn out this year to support like-minded candidates for Congress and help propel the GOP into the Senate majority, they could just as easily decide to sit out a presidential race if they feel the party again has produced a nominee who does not represent their interests.





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[alp227]

1. Keep feeling left out, then. lol. nt

[brewens]

2. I remember Bauer on with Bob Novak one time just after the Republicans took the House when Clinton

was President. He was pushing for his evangelical agenda and Novak was trying to talk him down. He was getting the usual treatment, like Lucy pulling the ball away when Charlie Brown tries to kick it. They never learn.

I thought back then that Novak was the smartest of all those right-wing pundits. He was telling Bauer to cool it, don't push so hard. Let us get a Republican President elected and then we'll pay off. Fat freakin' chance! More like, thanks for helping us win, now go away, it's all about looting!

[Thinkingabout]

3. Here is a suggestion of an evangelical candidate, Jimmy Swaggart.

[Zambero]

5. Swaggart concession speech

Oh Lord (sob) forgive me Lord (sob) for I have sinned (sob) I mean lost (sob)....

[longship]

4. "...will not tolerate another candidate foisted upon us as a guy who can win."

Fine with me.

How about you people?

Go for it, Gary. Nominate a theocrat and see how that works out for you. Better yet, nominate theocrats for every national office. Better for you, eh?

I'd support that.

And make sure they all have pulpits to speak from. We'll even supply the video cameras and the free media coverage. You supply the clown car.