As much as the media would like to debate it, Christians have as much impact sitting out a presidential race as they can have in it. Americans need only look back four years to 2012 to see the advantage Barack Obama gained over Mitt Romney when 26 million evangelical voters stayed home. That's a very clear and present danger this year, depending on who the final GOP nominee is. As voters come to grips with a candidate that represents their values best, some unfortunate political realities are getting in the way.
For a field that was stacked with principled candidates, primary decisions have been difficult for a lot of Christians. After several disappointing years, it's almost been an embarrassment of riches for conservatives, as several solid men and women of conviction duke it out for the top spot on the Republican ticket. But, looking ahead, as the field winnows, commentators like Erick Erickson are warning that if evangelicals don't coalesce around a candidate now, the writing is on the wall: neither Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Senator Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) will be the nominee. As a friend of both senators, Erick knows how difficult that advice may be, especially for younger Christians.
"Many new evangelical leaders have hitched their wagon to Marco Rubio because he seems to be the evangelical who does not drag his faith into politics," Erick wrote on his Resurgent blog. "They look at Ted Cruz and bristle with contempt because of his courting of the old guard who the new evangelicals think are outmoded and harmful to the kingdom's cause. These evangelicals are about to be confronted with a reality that three to four Supreme Court justices are on the line, Rubio is floundering, and if Trump wins South Carolina he could pick up enough momentum to sweep the primaries and gain the Republican nomination. From what we know already about Trump's judicial thoughts, he views his pro-abortion activist sister as an ideal Supreme Court pick. Until recently, Trump declared himself fully pro-abortion and supported late-term abortion... Each day that Rubio gains ground and drags the race out in South Carolina and beyond is a day that Trump maintains his grip."
The time of choosing, he says, is now. "Do they walk away, rally to Cruz, or ride it out to the bitter end with Rubio?... The ticking clock must be answered."
DISCLAIMER: Tony Perkins has made an endorsement in his individual and personal capacity only, and it should not be construed or interpreted in any way as the endorsement of FRC, FRC Action, or any affiliated entity.
