Religious right "values voters" favor Mike Huckabee
Background by JewsOnFirst, September 20, 2007
Some of the Christian right's most strident organizations came together last weekend for a straw poll and debate in which most of the Republican presidential contenders participated. The winner was former Arkansas governor (and Baptist minister) Mike Huckabee. The strawpollers and questioners were handpicked by the event organizers.
Values Voters Pick Huckabee
Michael Luo, The New York Times, September 18, 2007
For all those wondering whether Mitt Romney can break through among Christian conservatives, add this data point: he was the only candidate who received zero votes in a straw poll after last night’s Values Voters Debate, an event he and the other leading Republican contenders decided to skip.
Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee was the runaway winner with 64 percent of the vote, raising anew the question of whether Christian conservative leaders and voters might be able to coalesce around him as a longshot candidate and propel him to the first tier in the Republican race.
The rest of the pack: Rep. Ron Paul, of Texas, 12 percent; Alan Keyes, who made his debut as a candidate at the debate, 5 percent, Senator Sam Brownback, 5 percent; Rep. Duncan Hunter 4 percent; Fred D. Thompson, 4 percent; Rep. Tom Tancredo, 2 percent; Rudolph W. Giuliani 1 percent, Senator John McCain and John Cox, 1 percent; Mr. Romney, 0 percent.
Mr. Romney, Mr. Thompson, Mr. Giuliani and Mr. McCain all passed on the event, citing scheduling conflicts, even though Mr. Giuliani stumped in Florida yesterday and Mr. Romney and Mr. Thompson are there today. Continue.
Mike Huckabee Joins FRC Action Values Voter Summit
Family Research Council, September 20, 2007
Washington, D.C. - Today FRC Action announced that GOP presidential candidate Mike Huckabee will speak at the Washington Briefing 2007: Values Voter Summit on Friday October 19. Governor Huckabee, who placed an impressive second in the Iowa straw poll becomes the sixth presidential hopeful to commit to the largest gathering of pro-family activists in the nation's capital. Senator John McCain, Governor Mitt Romney, Senator Sam Brownback, Congressman Duncan Hunter, and Congressman Tom Tancredo will also speak at the event which is expected to draw two thousand grassroots activists from across the country. Continue.
“Huckabee Wins Values Voter Straw Poll!”
Delegates from America’s Largest Voting Block United
ValuesVoterDebate.com 2007, September 18, 2007
The First Ever Values Voter Presidential Debate Straw Poll, held last night at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, declared Governor Mike Huckabee as the pro-family winner.
“While many very good candidates attended the event, Governor Mike Huckabee was the clear winner,” said Janet Folger, President of Faith2Action and member of the Values Voter Debate committee. Huckabee received nearly five times the votes of the other candidates.
“The big losers last night were the no-show candidates Fred Thompson who placed at 4 percent, Rudy Giuliani and John McCain who each received 1 percent and Mitt Romney who was the only candidate to receive zero votes at the end of the night.
Continue.
 Values Voter 2008 Presidential Debate Video
Video of the Debate, American Family Association, September 17, 2007
This link will take you to a video of the "debate," which was hosted by Joseph Farah of the WorldVision.net. The program included a choir singing a "prophetic denunciation of America's sins" to the tune of "God Bless America." The candidates debated and Mike Huckabee was crowned the winner by a handpicked group. Click here to watch the video on the American Family Association's website.
Values Voter 2008 Presidential Debate program
This 32-page program of the event includes the list of pre-selected questioners, ads from the participating organizations and more. Click here to view the PDF document.
GOP front-runners sit out debate with 'values voters'
Matt Sedensky, The Herald Tribune, (Sarasota, Florida), September 17, 2007
Fort Lauderdale, Fla. -- So-called "values voters" gathered here Monday to grill Republican presidential candidates, but the forum was most notable for its empty lecterns and its unanswered questions.
The biggest GOP names - Rudy Giuliani, Mitt Romney, John McCain and Fred Thompson - all sat out the Values Voter Presidential Debate, citing scheduling conflicts. A 2,688-seat theater organizers said would be so full they started a waiting list had several hundred empty seats.
Still, the debate went on with seven second-tier Republican candidates participating and hoping to secure the support of a largely evangelical Christian audience. And it didn't stop questioners from addressing the front-runners that didn't attend.
"They will regret the decision," said Jan Folger, president of Faith2Action and a member of the debate host committee. "Because they snubbed us, they will not win, because we will not follow their lead." Continue.
 What's wrong with the religious right?
By W. James Antle III, Politico.com, September 24, 2007
Did you miss last week’s Values Voter Debate? Don’t worry. So did Rudy Giuliani, Fred Thompson, Mitt Romney and John McCain — the four leading contenders for the Republican presidential nomination.
In their place was businessman John Cox, a White House hopeful so minor he has not been invited to the other GOP debates, and perennial candidate Alan Keyes.
No Republican presidential hopeful doing better than the 4 percent Mike Huckabee and Ron Paul each drew in the latest Gallup Poll bothered to show up.
When Democratic constituencies hold candidate forums, their party’s presidential candidates come running. The Democrats have already debated in front of labor unions, African-Americans and the gay community.
Yet when organizations purporting to represent religious conservatives — arguably the GOP’s largest voting bloc — try to hold a debate, the top-tier Republicans all cite scheduling conflicts. Continue.
Perspectives: Straw poll at Values Voter Presidential Debate
Janet Folger, OneNewsNow.com, September 6, 2007
Sen. John McCain's campaign called the Values Voter Presidential Debate staff over the weekend, pleading with them to "Stop the calls! There are so many, we can't conduct business or make outgoing calls!" All because one of the 30 groups participating in the Values Voter debate suggested some members make calls of encouragement to the few remaining candidates who had not yet confirmed their attendance at the Values Voter Presidential Debate September 17.
What do you know? There are a whole lot of values voters. And just like they pick up the phone to encourage candidates to attend the Values Voter Debate, they'll pick up the phone to get out the vote.
Kenton, a college professor and Faith2Action listener, called the campaign offices and said, "I'm not going to vote for anyone who doesn't show up to the Values Voter Presidential Debate. If you care about our votes, care about our values." What those few remaining candidates need to realize is that there are a whole lot of people who feel exactly like that. I'm one of them. Continue.
A Straw Poll-"More Important than Iowa" to be conducted at Values Voter Presidential Debate
News Release, Values Voter Presidential Debate, August 31, 2007
(Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, August 31, 2007) Delegates for the Values Voter Straw Poll, that will be conducted at the Values Voter Presidential Debate on Septembe 17, have been selected by pro-family leaders such as Phyllis Schlafly, President of Eagle Forum, Don Wildmon Chairman of the American Family Association, Paul Weyrich, President of the Free Congress Foundation, Judge Roy Moore, Chairman of the Foundation for Moral Law, Rabbi Aryea Spero, of the Jewish Action Alliance, and Chaplain Gordon James Klingenschmitt, who fought for the right of Military Chaplains to pray in Jesus name. "Unlike other straw polls where candidates have bussed in supporters or paid for their tickets, the Values Voter Straw poll conducted at this Presidential debate promises results consistent with the largest voting block in America-the Values Voter," said Mat Staver, Chairman of Liberty Counsel and member of the host committee. "This will be the most important straw poll yet." Continue.
Republican Presidential Candidates Debate Will Focus on Questions From 40 Pro-Family Leaders
"Values Voter Presidential Debate" scheduled for Monday, September 17th at 7:30 p.m.
By Peter J. Smith, LifeSiteNews.com, August 30, 2007
Fort Lauderdale, Florida, August 30, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Pro-family advocates may soon have a chance to see where Republican candidates stand on American values in September's upcoming "Values Voter Presidential Debate." The debate is scheduled for Monday, September 17th at 7:30 p.m. at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Seven out of nine Republican candidates have indicated they plan to participate in the event, however their names have not yet been released to the general public. Questions will be fielded to participating candidates from among 40 pro-family leaders including such notables as Phyllis Schlafly, President of Eagle Forum, Don Wildmon, Chairman of the American Family Association, Paul Weyrich, President of the Free Congress Foundation, Mat Staver, Chairman of Liberty Counsel, Bobby Schindler of Terri's Fight, Janet Folger, President of Faith2Action, Rick Scarborough, President of Vision America, Judge Roy Moore and many others. Continue.
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