Conservative Wordsmith Susan Baldwin writes: Why did Mitt Romney win the silver instead of the gold at the Iowa Caucus on Thursday, January 3? "'We won the silver ... You win the silver in one event. It doesn't mean you're not going to come back and win the gold in the final event, and that we are going to do,' Romney said." 1* 

What role did religion, specifically evangelical Christianity, play in the Iowa Caucus results? The people of Iowa, specifically evangelical Republicans, voted for the Republican presidential candidate whom they viewed as being the most "Christian" and evidently Mike Huckabee, who also happens to be an ordained Southern Baptist minister, was perceived as being that man. Not only that, but according to a CNN article that I cited in my previous post,* women voters were also responsible for Huckabee's victory!

"Huckabee's victory can be attributed to his overwhelming support among evangelical voters and women, the polls indicate." 1

Does the possibility exist that evangelical Christians are either too naive, or too willing to be persuaded, by anyone claiming to be born again, including Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee? Does religious intolerance play a role here at all? Do evangelicals have exclusive rights to God and Heaven?

William Law, a Protestant Christian, and the author of the Christian classic, A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life, was well acquainted with the worldliness and unholy attitude of many Christians in his own time period, a time far removed from today's modern world.
(William Law - 1686-1761).** 

According to an article, "Analysis: Iowa caucus," posted on the sun-herald.com website (Last updated: January 4, 2008 11:20 AM):

"Eight in 10 Huckabee supporters said they are born again or evangelical Christians, according to an entrance poll for The Associated Press and television networks. Another six in 10 said it was very important to share their candidate’s religious beliefs. In both categories, none of the former Arkansas governor’s opponents came close to that kind of support." 2

"In addition, six in 10 Huckabee supporters — more than his rivals — said it was most important that their candidate shared their values. Only 4 percent of his backers said they wanted a contender with experience, and 2 percent said they were looking for a Republican who can win the White House in November." 2

Mitt Romney's campaign has thus far fared better in New Hampshire, with good cause. "With New Hampshire’s primaries next Tuesday, the campaign’s next stop is a state where only about one in five GOP voters are born again or evangelical Christians — about one-third the number who claimed that status among Iowa Republicans." 2

"While 46 percent of Iowa’s born again or evangelical GOP voters backed Huckabee, a slight majority did not — indicating a willingness to support candidates other than the ordained Baptist minister who has made religion a centerpiece of his campaign. Mitt Romney, former governor of New Hampshire’s neighbor, Massachusetts, got one in five of those voters in Iowa." 2

"Huckabee dominated among Iowa conservatives overall, winning about a third of their vote, compared to about a quarter for Romney. Yet most of that support came from conservatives who are also born again or evangelical. Nearly half of them voted for Huckabee, compared to less than a fifth of other conservatives who supported him." 2

"Huckabee trailed John McCain, and was even with Romney, among the one in 10 at the GOP caucuses who say they are independents. New Hampshire has far more independents than that. In its last competitive Republican contest, in 2000, 41 percent of voters called themselves independent, more than in any other GOP primary exit poll that year — and they were a key to McCain’s New Hampshire victory over George W. Bush." 2

According to recent polls, Mitt Romney has been more popular in New Hampshire all along.*** This may well be due to the fact that in New Hampshire, as mentioned in the article cited above, "only about one in five GOP voters are born again or evangelical Christians — about one-third the number who claimed that status among Iowa Republicans". 2

I would like to personally invite you to click on the links to a few of my popular, must-read posts, which are listed below for your convenience.

1 http://www.cnn.com/
2008/POLITICS/01/03/
iowa.caucuses/
index.html#cnnSTCText
Click this link to read the entire article,
"Huckabee, Obama have huge night in Iowa."
DES MOINES, Iowa (CNN)

2 http://www.sun-herald.com/
floridanews.cfm?id=1831 

Related Links

**http://www.ccel.org/
ccel/law/serious_call.html - Click this link to read the entire book online, download the text, or listen to MP3 audio files. This service is free of any charges.

http://www.mittromney.com/

http://www.mittromney.com/
Ann-Romney/index 

http://www.evangelicalsformitt.org/ 

http://www.mittreport.com/ 

My Related Posts

*Iowa Runner-Up Romney Says Gold Will Be Won

***Romney, Clinton Full Speed Ahead In NH

***Romney 33%, Huckabee 11%, In NH Fox News Poll
Mitt Romney On Taxes: A Must-Read Review

Happy New Year, Time, Dreams, and Ben Franklin

Mitt Romney, Mormons, Jesus, and Christmas

Seeing Christmas Rightly With One's Heart 

Romney: Religious Attacks Are Not American

Romney and Kennedy: Two Voices of Tolerance
Mitt Romney, Mormons, and Nine Christians  

Shall Romney and Jefferson Meet In Hell?
Thomas Jefferson's Interview With God

Mitt Romney, Mormons, and One Martyr 
Mitt Romney and A PLEA FOR RELIGIOUS LIBERTY

Good Mormon: Ancient Samaritan Parable?

Mitt Romney in The Mittchant of Venice
Mitt Romney #1 Fave Of Top Evangelicals
Mitt Romney Qualifies With Article 6
Mitt Romney and Two Political Deists

Mormon Inventions For Everyman
Three Mormon Classics by CW
Meaty Mitt/Mormon Writings
Mitt Romney, Mormons, and Pacifism
Mitt and Ann Romney Have My Vote

The original date of this post was
January 4, 2007.

Conservative Wordsmith Susan Baldwin, author of the Conservative Wordsmith Weblog, appreciates your thoughts and comments.