Event reflects political clout of conservative Christians

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Event reflects political clout of conservative Christians

By Erika Bolstad, The Miami Herald, May 20, 2006

ORLANDO - In a sign of the clout of conservative Christian activists in Florida politics, candidates for nearly every statewide Republican office attended the first-ever Florida Family Policy Council awards dinner in Orlando Friday night.

The event featured a speech by Gov. Jeb Bush, who outlined his legacy and the conservative blueprint for leadership he hoped his successors would follow. But he stopped short of endorsing either of the two Republicans hoping to fill his shoes: Attorney General Charlie Crist and Chief Financial Officer Tom Gallagher.

Bush was awarded the Florida Family Policy Council's first-ever Daniel Webster award, named for the Republican state senator from Winter Haven who has been a standard-bearer for conservative Christian issues.

The Florida Family Policy Council, which was active in efforts last year to keep Terri Schiavo alive, also announced its intention Friday night to set up a separate legislative arm to lobby state officials on their prioirities: ending abortion, prohibiting same-sex marriage and addressing so-called judicial activism in American courts.

The council is affiliated with Focus on the Family, the national conservative Christian advocacy group headed by James Dobson.

The first-ever event drew about 1,000 people, making it see-and-be-seen spot on the campaign trail for Republicans seeking the votes of the key conservative constituency in the primary election for governor. Bush noted his respect for that constituency's influence in his opening remarks:

''There are so many fine public servants here, which is a reflection of the incredible influence of the Florida Family Policy Council, the growing influence,'' Bush said.

The event also drew many political reporters eager to see how Republican candidates for statewide offices would fare among the conservative Christian crowd -- especially Crist, who initially was not slated to attend. The council's president, John Stemberger, has already endorsed Gallagher, whom the group asked to recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

Bush said after the event that reaching out to people of faith was an important part of the Republican primary process, but refused to endorse either one of his potential successors.

''I think they're both really able candidates and people, and they will both serve as governor really well,'' Bush said. ``I think the Republican Party is fortunate to have two candidates of that caliber.''

He also said he was surprised that so many reporters were interested in covering the event, and criticized the media for treating the Christian right as an unusual and niche movement. But then Bush launched his own zinger at one religious movement, the Clearwater-based Church of Scientology.

''People who act on their faith are a large number of people in our state,'' Bush said. ``Sometimes I think you guys write about it like they're like mutants out there, like they're some weird little group, like they're Scientologists or something.''

He added: ``There's this view that somehow that people who have a deep and abiding faith are somehow weird.''

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