From left to right: Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, Former Senator Rick Santorum. All images public domain.
Religious Liberty was the dominant subject at the Family Leadership Regional Summit in Mount Pleasant last night, where four likely GOP presidential contenders courted prospective voters with their individual takes on religious freedom in the United States. The summit was sponsored by the Family Leader organization. It took place on the campus of Iowa Wesleyan College.
In attendance were former Texas Governor Rick Perry, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, and former Senator Rick Santorum.
All four of them agreed on a few key issues: that the direction the country is currently on through the Obama administration is a destructive one, and that religious liberty was the cornerstone of freedom in America.
“The pilgrims came here in 1620…they came here to find religious freedom. I believe the American people are looking for a second chance” Governor Perry told about 600 in attendance.
Governor Jindal said that without religious freedom, we wouldn’t have the United States in the first place.
“We need to send a message to Hollywood. We need to send a message to Corporate America. America did not invent religious liberty. Religious liberty created America,” Jindal said to raucous applause.
Each candidate took time to address the controversial Religious Freedom Act signed by Indiana Governor Mike Pence. All four agreed with Family Leader President Bob Vander Plaatz, who said that “just as the Christian Baker shouldn’t have to bake cakes for gay weddings, the Gay web service host shouldn’t have to host the Family Leader’s website.”
Governor Huckabee said that nobody should be forced to provide a service that goes against their beliefs.
“I met with a couple this morning, here in Iowa, their business is going out of business because they were sued after they were approach to perform a same sex marriage,” Huckabee said .”They said ‘we love you, but we can’t embrace a ceremony that is not just, to us, a civil event, but a sacrament.'”
Senator Santorum said that restoring the traditional concept of the American family was an important policy issue of his.
“We need to fight for the restoration of the Family as the key economic and social unit of our country. We need to stop playing defense on these issues,” Santorum said, “We should start talking about how children need mothers and fathers. We need policies that don’t discourage lower income people from getting married, because government benefits go away if you get married.”
While none of the candidates have announced a run for the White House, each one alluded to a possible campaign. So far, only two candidates: Kentucky Senator Rand Paul and Texas Senator Ted Cruz have announced formal campaigns.
The summit was one of four similar summits to be held across the state by the Family leader.
