But unlike in 2008 when many evangelicals and home-schooling families backed Baptist minister and former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, propelling him to a win over favorite Mitt Romney, there is no consensus this time among this faith community - except perhaps to support anyone but the former Massachusetts governor.
Many say they view Romney’s candidacy with skepticism because of his Mormon religion and doubt his commitment to conservative principles given his history of shifts on issues, abortion in particular.
“The evangelicals, if they’ve coalesced at all, they’ve coalesced against Romney. But they’re fragmented as to who they’re going to support to be the alternative to Romney, which could bolster Governor Romney,’’ said Bob Vander Plaats, who was Huckabee’s state chairman in 2008 and whose social advocacy group, The Family Leader, has yet to issue an endorsement.
A group of conservative Christian pastors this week embarked on an eight-city tour of the state trying to get Christians to vote for Minnesota Representative Michele Bachmann because, as one put it, she is “biblically qualified to be president.’’
Other self-described evangelical Christians hold up former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum as the one whose family values most match theirs. Still others support former House Speaker Newt Gingrich as the most electable and are willing to forgive his history of infidelity.
Vander Plaats said he remains undecided, similar to the 60 percent of caucus-goers polled by the Des Moines Register who say they have a first choice but can be persuaded to vote for someone else.
Gingrich is the current favorite with born-again evangelicals by a 2-to-1 ratio over Bachmann, Romney, and Texas Representative Ron Paul, said Ann Selzer, president of Selzer & Co., which conducts polling for the Register.
