Group Of Christian Conservatives Might Consider Running Third-Party Presidential Candidate If GOP Nominates Abortion-Rights Supporter

Main Category: Abortion
Also Included In: Women's Health / Gynecology
Article Date: 02 Oct 2007 - 5:00 PDT

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Almost everyone present at a meeting of a group of Christian conservatives on Saturday supported the statement, "if the Republican Party nominates a pro-abortion candidate we will consider running a third-party candidate," some participants at the meeting said, the New York Times reports. The group broke away for separate discussions during a meeting of the conservative Council for National Policy in Salt Lake City, Utah. According to the Times, the group included James Dobson of Focus on the Family; Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council; Richard Viguerie, a direct-mail "pioneer"; and a number of other "politically oriented," conservative Christians.

Participants at the meeting said the group chose the term "consider" because a presidential candidate had not yet been selected. However, members were "largely united" in their plans to propose a new candidate if former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who supports abortion rights, wins the Republican nomination, the Times reports. Participants at the meeting spoke anonymously but said the group planned to release the resolution, according to the Times.

Gary Bauer, a Christian conservative political advocate who was a Republican primary candidate eight years ago, told the group, "I can't think of a bigger disaster for social conservatives, defense conservatives and economic conservatives than Hillary Clinton in the White House," adding, "But I do believe there are certain core issues for the Republican Party -- low taxes, strong defense and pro-life -- and if we nominate someone who is hostile on one of those three things it will blow up the" Republican Party.

A Giuliani campaign spokesperson responded to the group by releasing a statement from Rep. Pete Sessions (R-Texas), who supports Giuliani. Sessions said, "Conservatives are rallying around the one candidate with the executive experience and proven leadership our country needs," adding that Republicans want a candidate who "can beat the Democratic nominee" (Kirkpatrick, New York Times, 10/1).

Los Angeles Times Examines Evangelicals' Split on Candidates
The Los Angeles Times on Monday examined the "splintering of religious conservatives" over which candidate to support in the presidential primaries. According to the Times, the opportunity for religious conservatives to press their agenda also has "suffered a blow" because of the Democratic control of Congress (Finnegan, Los Angeles Times, 10/1).

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