Romney, Huckabee Vie For "Value Votes"

Giuliani Fails To Convince Summit Crowd Of His Conservative Credentials, Coming In Second To Last

(CBS)  This story was written by CBSNews.com political reporter David Miller.

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Republican presidential candidates looking to consolidate support among the base of their party left an important gathering in Washington today no closer to closing the deal.

Social conservatives came into this weekend’s Values Voter Summit torn over which candidate to support in the rapidly approaching primary season. By time the event was over, and after all eight GOP candidates had spoken to the summit’s approximately 2,000 attendees, it did not appear that any one of them had galvanized their support.

However, it does appear clear that the fight for these “values voters” is shaping up as a two-man race between Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee -- the winner of that fight likely to emerge as the conservative alternative to Rudy Giuliani, who leads the Republican race in national polls.

The results of the event’s straw poll were especially telling: Of the 5,775 votes received at on-site voting kiosks, by mail, and online, Romney won 1,595, while Huckabee was only 30 votes behind, at 1,565.

But these baseline numbers don’t tell the entire story. Voting online required only a nominal donation to the Family Research Council, the organization that ran the poll and the leading sponsor of this weekend’s summit, held at the Hilton Washington. Candidates sent out appeals to their supporters to cast an online vote in the poll -- such votes turned out to generate about 94 percent of Romney’s support.

Among people who actually paid to attend the conference, people FRC President Tony Perkins has called “influencers” within their communities and church congregations, the result was far different, and a decisive victory for Huckabee. Over 51 percent of those who voted at the conference chose the former Arkansas governor. Romney was a distant second, garnering just over 10 percent of the vote.

"Today's victory in the on-site contest is yet another indicator that I am the top choice of voters in America who are looking for a truly consistent, conservative candidate with a proven record of results and the vision to lead America forward," Huckabee said in a statement.

Perkins predicted that Huckabee, who also finished second to Romney at the Ames, Iowa straw poll in August, would see a benefit once attendees made their way back home from Washington. “I believe that Gov. Huckabee will get a significant bounce out of this,” Perkins said, later adding that Huckabee could join the company of Romney, Giuliani and Fred Thompson at the front of the GOP pack.

“He could be a first-tier candidate,” he said. “He has held his own, he’s got a message, he’s certainly got followers. I think he’s come down here as a winner and a favorite out of this straw poll.”

But other leaders within the evangelical movement are not sold on Huckabee, particularly Gary Bauer, head of American Values, one of the summit’s co-sponsors. He said Huckabee, who raised only $1 million in the third quarter of the year, doesn’t have the time or resources to compete with the top GOP candidates.

“I’m skeptical, I am,” Bauer said. “I just don’t see how you go from having $600,000 in the bank one year before the election and go on to leap-frog everybody else, beat Giuliani and then go on to beat Hillary Clinton. I just don’t see it happening.”

The divide on Huckabee’s prospects between two allies like Perkins and Bauer is a fitting symbol for a movement that has proven highly influential in Republican politics since the 1980 election, but now is seeing its voice diminished, partly due to the inability of evangelical voters to coalesce around one candidate as they did with Ronald Reagan in the 1980s and George W. Bush in 2000.

If the Christian right fails to rally around one candidate, it could provide an opening for Giuliani, whose support for abortion rights and moderate record on gay rights run counter to the central interests of evangelical voters - among conference attendees, those two issues were the only ones cited as “most important” by more than 10 percent in the straw poll.

Giuliani tried his best to smooth over relations with the crowd gathered at the summit, delivering a speech in which he emphasized his record of eliminating prostitution and pornography from Times Square as New York City mayor, his intention to appoint judges who would strictly interpret the Constitution, and his hardline stance against Islamic terrorism.

“I’m not going to pretend to you that I can be all things to all people,” Giuliani said, acknowledging the policy differences between himself and the audience. “And you know that we have some areas of disagreement. But I believe we have many, many more areas of agreement. And the one thing you can count on with me is I’ll always be honest with you. I will always listen to your ideas, I’ll always take them into consideration, and I’ll do the best I can to honestly tell you mine.”

He was rewarded with a standing ovation -- however, so was every other candidate who spoke. He also came dangerously close to making a critical gaffe, nearly saying he wanted to “reduce adoptions and increase abortions” before catching himself at the last minute -- a moment that sent a wave of uneasy laughter throughout the audience. But perhaps most significantly, he made no references to his opinion on same-sex marriage.

[sftodd]

Liberals are so blind to reality it''''s not even worth arguing with them. They''''ll stay blind.
Posted by singinrick at 07:23 AM : Oct 23, 2007

Please enlighten us, Sickrick, about the world of superstition, blind allegiance to imaginary leaders, people who walk on water, and the voices in your head. Yeah, you have a firm grip on reality alright. You''re just the kind of guy I''d like to trust my future to, you and Osama bin Laden, you nutcase.

[sftodd]

We should all stop and think, why would the media ignore the fact that Ron Paul placed 3rd - ahead of everyone but Romney and Huckabee.
Posted by gunownerdan at 04:16 PM : Oct 22, 2007

Yes, let''s see, could it be the media already knows that Ron Paul is going to be unmercifully slaughtered so badly that it would be in poor taste to report the graphic details? How could the media know this? Hmm, I do wonder.

[gunownerdan]

We should all stop and think, why would the media ignore the fact that Ron Paul placed 3rd - ahead of everyone but Romney and Huckabee.
ronpaul2008.com
Dr. Ron Paul - pro-liberty and pro-peace.

[sftodd]

The repugs deserve every hypocritcal vote they get.
Posted by liberalme at 02:22 PM : Oct 22, 2007

Let''s not get lazy with our terminology: The Repugnicants deserve every hypocritical vote they get.

[liberalme]

http://www.valuesvoters.com/

Here is their website--just click on your state and it will provide a "voter guide".

The repugs deserve every hypocritcal vote they get.

[liberalme]

http://www.valuesvoters.com/

Here is their website--just click on your state and it will provide a "voter guide".

The repugs deserve every hypocritcal vote they get.

[hwy71so]

Why would you have to pay to participate in a poll? They want something from me they should be paying me.

[jescando]

what a joke. Huckabee who attacks christians who try to protect people against illegal immigrants and twists the issue into supporting his buddies in the hispanic pro mexico efforts. He has a horrible mouth on this issue and he keeps saying stupid things all the time, like the razor blade comment or soooo many more...he is just wrong for america where it really counts. Too bad. Maybe its something in the water in Hope Arkansas

[simonsez40]

Posted by: Singinrick
No liberals take islamic jihad seriously. Not one.


...they''''re more worried about Baptist jihad

Posted by billpl at 05:32 PM : Oct 21, 2007

OKAY that WAS FUNNY! LMAO!

[dutchfarmer]

Huck wants a 30% flat tax. Wow, what a tax hound!! Ron Paul wants to get rid of the IRS. Wow, what a great idea!! Mitt is wearing his holy underwear as any Mormon. Mittwit is a baffoon. Ron Paul is the ONLY viable choice.

[tsheff2]

JackSteen1...I see you are a typical lib...if you say the same lie over and over again, it becomes your reality.....sorry...posting the same comment 20 times doesn''t make it real....How about something tangible that the "$5,000 to every child" Clinton can do besides tell us what a socialist she is...are you blind? Socialized health care? $5,000 to every child? I bet you own a bridge don''t you jacksteen!?

[tsheff2]

The BEST the Republishit Party can do is these two idiots?
Huckabee, who doesn''''t believe in the theory of evolution - and Willard Romney, who believes Jesus was a SpaceMan and still listens to a talking White Salamander ?
I can hardly wait for November of 2008!
"Yes Ma''''am, Madame President Clinton!"
WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT JackSteen1? What does socialist Hillary believe in? Depends on who she''s talking to...Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it....Hillary will be a disaster for the U.S...all you libs remember that when you look back in 2010..You are the dummies that believe Bush single handedly sent us into Iraq...HILLARY GAVE HER APPROVAL...LOOK IT UP...I am disappointed in all the crowd following Americans who believe everything you see on CBS..Do some research before you make a mistake.

[gkc99]

"Willard Romney, who believes Jesus was a SpaceMan and still listens to a talking White Salamander ?"==Posted by JackSteen1

I believe the White Salamander is a mystical creature who lives in fire, not the slippery skinned amphibian that lives under rocks.

Feel better now?

[likeitis5050]

The evangelicals reject Guiliani now, but the last few years have shown over and over that these evangelicals are easily manipulated. They will vote for Guiliani just like they send their money into some smooth talking TV preacher.


Posted by tonysp2

They will before they let Hillary in without a fight. Talk about lesser of two evils.

[nmsuip]

What do you call 15 Republicans in a circle?

A dope ring.

[billpl-2009]

Posted by: Singinrick
No liberals take islamic jihad seriously. Not one.


...they''re more worried about Baptist jihad

[billpl-2009]

That''s correct LastDance,

But the Democrat party is still here, without a leg to stand on.

Take your pick....evil or stupid.

[lastdance2]

Evangelical Christians - Christian Hate - Needs a Candidate who has a History of - Duplicating the Bush (Nazi) Regime

Delivering Fraudulent Reports to Falsely Advocate a War
The Complete and Total - Disregard and the Destruction of the Constitution
Shipping war materials and Weapons to the Enemies of the United States
Approving of Torture and other Atrocities against people within Detention Centers
Ordering the FBI to commit criminal activities : Criminal - Illegal wiretaps - Surveillance
The Selling and Instructions about to use Nuclear Weapon Technology
Hiding and Suppressing Evidence against Federal Child and Homosexual Predators
Allowing a Mercenary Army to Murder innocent civilians
Flight Delays and Cancellations to gain personal profits
Lead Painted Toys - Defective Child Merchandise-
Tainted and Poisoned Food - To be shipped to the US
Denying Children a decent Health Care Plan
Allowing Millions of People into Home Foreclosure because of Fraud
Allowing Billions of Dollars to be Misused in Hurricane : "Katrina"
A Justice Department who Politically Patronizes the Republican (Nazi) Party
An Attorney General who Fires State Attorneys in lieu of Political Nepotism
More American jobs shipped to China - Vietnam and India
Allowing Toxic Chemicals into the Nations Water and Food Supply
Forcing Iraqi War Widows into Prostitution - to Feed their own Orphans

The Endorsement of - Christian Hate (Values Voters)
The Republican (Nazi) Party

[Krazcarl]

Like Huckabee but there is no way a republican is going to be elected after the Bush mess period,

[chucktruck2]

To jackSteen Mitt won the straw poll in line in the room... and on line in the room. God is in heaven..and.. the white salamander guy was false and you know it. what is you faith and your vote ...be brave... Evangeliticals for Mitt