Filed under: christian
AMHERST – Two weeks ago, Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee scored a runaway victory among a group of likely Florida voters assembled at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale.
The event was the first-ever Values Voter Presidential Debate Straw Poll, and voters were largely conservative Christians whose personal beliefs align quite well with Huckabee’s own philosophies. So while his overwhelming victory isn’t terribly surprising, several of Huckabee’s local supporters nevertheless expressed optimism for their candidate’s future when he visited Amherst on Sunday.”He’s an excellent speaker who has a very encouraging message,” said Pastor Ron Tannariello of the Amherst Christian Church, where Huckabee, a former Southern Baptist preacher, delivered a guest sermon Sunday morning.
While most candidates use anecdotes or dry policy addresses, presidential candidate Mike Huckabee used Hanna-Barbera cartoons as a metaphor to talk about health care during his recent visit to the Upstate.
Huckabee said it was strange that people can access their bank account anywhere in the world via an ATM, but it was practically impossible to transfer medical records from hospital to hospital.
“We have Jetsons technology on ATM, and Flintstones technology on health care,” Huckabee said to a loud round of applause.
This was Huckabee’s first visit in the state since his second-place finish at the Iowa Straw Poll – a victory that he said makes him a leading candidate for the Republican nomination as opposed to a dark horse.
Republican presidential candidate Sam Brownback is reaching out aggressively to communities, including influential evangelical leaders, weeks ahead of the Aug. 11 straw poll in Ames, Iowa.
The Kansas senator who describes himself as a “bleeding heart conservative” met with more than 15 evangelical pastors in West Des Moines this week and said religious conservatives are moving in his direction as they become aware of his position opposing abortion and gay marriage.
“It’s typical in an election that people hold back and want to get a good feel for the candidate,” said Brownback, according to The Associated Press. “Now we’re getting within eyeshot of Aug. 11 and they’re breaking and a lot of them are breaking our way.”
And the evangelical Christian community is an essential part of his plan as he looks to finish strong in the straw poll. He says his “pro-life/whole-life message” is resonating with evangelicals.
“I think it’s critical and I think we’re doing pretty well. We are reaching out aggressively to a number of communities and the evangelical is a key one of them,” said Brownback, according to AP.
