In Iowa, Religious Right Is Now a Force Divided
DES MOINES — Measured by national polling, media attention and millions in the bank, the Republican field appears to have come down to a bout between two heavyweights: Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, vs. Gov. Rick Perry of Texas.
But in the state where the first nominating votes will actually be counted, the field resembles more of an all-out brawl,burberry outlet cheap
with candidates who rank deep on the undercard nationally given a chance to steal an upset finish at or near the top in the Iowa caucuses, the first nominating contest, now probably less than three months away.
“I think it’s a wide-open race,” said Gov. Terry E. Branstad, a Republican. “Michele Bachmann is going to make a very strong effort here. Rick Santorum has put in a lot of effort. Ron Paul — I’ve seen a lot of Ron Paul signs — don’t count him out.”
Of course, many Republicans may ultimately rally around a candidate they consider more electable in the general election against President Obama, and as the campaign goes forward a better-financed candidate like Mr. Romney or Mr. Perry may be able to convey that message.
But in the meantime, the lower-tier candidates are attracting uncommon attention, and one reason is the influence of Christian conservatives, who make up the bulk of the voters in the Republican caucuses. In 2008 they rallied behind Mike Huckabee to give him a surprise victory over Mr. Romney, who had spent $10 million and a year on the ground.
But this time, social conservatives are divided among several candidates who are competing fiercely for their support — each boasting of rock-ribbed opposition to abortion and same-sex marriage. The candidates are also finding ways to tie other conservative positions, like ending big government and regulations, to principles of Christian faith.
“Conservative, pro-family folks are spread out all over the place,” said Matt Reisetter, who worked for Mr. Huckabee in 2008 and is undecided this year. “You can make a case for six or seven people. It’s crazy to imagine we’re this close to the caucuses and it’s still wide open.”
Sixty percent of Republican caucusgoers in 2008 identified themselves as evangelical or born-again Christians in surveys of voters entering the polls, although they were not a monolithic bloc: Mr. Huckabee won with 34 percent of the total votes.
Even though abortion and same-sex marriage rank relatively low on the list of issues for Republicans generally — and certainly behind the economy — they fire up activists, who have a disproportionate influence in a caucus state, where voters must be committed enough to spend hours in a neighbor’s living room on a winter evening before casting their vote. This year, the caucuses are likely to be held in early January.
Some candidates are paying particular attention to a subset of social conservatives, home-school parents, whom one strategist compared to postal carriers: neither sleet nor dark of night will keep them from the caucuses.
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