Huckabee’s new TV ad opens with a shot of the Southern Baptist minister and the words “Christian Leader”
December 5, 2007 8:55 am Christian Right and Mormonism, Christian Right and GOPRuth Marcus - In Iowa, They Like Mike - washingtonpost.com, December 5, 2007
WAUKEE, Iowa — Lori Hommer is threading blue ribbon through contribution envelopes to hang on the Christmas trees at Point of Grace Church, and she scarcely pauses when asked if she’s decided on a candidate in next month’s caucuses.
“Yes, Mike Huckabee,” said Hommer, 50, who teaches at the church. “He has conservative Christian values . . . the same values I have.” As to the man who had been leading in the polls here until recently, she said, “I could probably support Mitt Romney if I had to. I’m just a little leery of him. I’m just not sure he’s genuine.”
…With evangelicals expected to comprise four in 10 Republican caucusgoers, voters such as Williams hold the key to a Huckabee victory — and they could deliver it. In the latest Post-ABC News poll of likely GOP caucusgoers, the former Arkansas governor led Romney 44 percent to 22 percent among evangelical Protestants.
It is no coincidence that Huckabee’s new TV ad opens with a shot of the Southern Baptist minister and the words “Christian Leader.” A little unsettling — imagine an ad touting Joe Lieberman as a “Jewish leader” — and perhaps a subtle effort to reinforce evangelical voters’ squeamishness about Romney’s Mormonism, but no doubt effective: Huckabee’s “Christian values” was the most commented-on selling point I heard here.