Evangelicals on the Rise

Here's good news for the religious-issues wielding Rick Santorum: Evangelical voters have never been more influential in a Republican presidential primary.?

An analysis conducted by the Faith and Freedom Coalition found the Born-Again Christian vote accounted for half the total electorate in the 2012 GOP presidential primary, the highest total recorded in the modern era. Evangelicals have constituted 50.53 percent of this year's vote, according to 16 exit and entrance polls taken during the primary, compared to just 44 percent in 2008.

Most states have seen the spike in participation. Ohio's evangelical vote, for instance, increased from 44 percent four years ago to 47 percent this time. South Carolina saw a four-point jump, from 60 percent to 64 percent.?

Clearly, in an election that was ostensibly going to focus entirely on the economy, evangelical voters have played a bigger role than ever. They care about jobs like everyone else, but their participation is proof that the issues they care about ? whether abortion or religious freedom ? remain a critical component of any candidate's pitch.

"The conventional wisdom going into this election was that the issues that motivate these voters?weren't?going to be much of a factor in the election," said Ralph Reed, the coalition's chairman and a longtime Republican strategist. "And I think that conventional wisdom, as is often the case, is not going to be right." Read more

?Alex Roarty

NATIONAL JOURNAL?S PRIMARY REPORT

Santorum?s Progress in GOP Race is Historic NEW!
[National Journal, 3/16/12] Dual victories in Alabama and Mississippi this week don?t change the fact that Santorum remains an underdog in the race. But his candidacy is already historically significant: Santorum has already won more contests than any challenger to the GOP establishment since conservative icon Ronald Reagan in 1976.

Santorum Campaign Still Dealing with Puerto Rico Backlash NEW!
[National Journal, 3/16/12] The Santorum camp was still dealing on Friday with fallout from the Republican candidate's comments on Puerto Rican statehood, asserting that he never meant to say residents should be required to speak English before their island territory can become a state.

Go Big or Go Home
[National Journal, 3/15/12] Romney and his campaign have fallen into a pattern of backing into states where he wasn?t expected to do well, ramping up the effort when it looked like things might break his way, and then downplaying the results when things don?t work out. ?National Journal?s Beth Reinhard writes that the expectations game doesn?t work for a front-runner.

In Suddenly Crucial Illinois, Romney Moves Up Campaigning ?
[Chicago Tribune, 3/15/12] Romney has moved up plans to campaign in Illinois to Friday, underscoring the importance of the state?s Tuesday primary, where 54 delegates are at stake. Romney again faces a critical battle in a state that once seemed assuredly his, but today?s Illinois GOP is not what it used to be.

? And Ramps Up Spending
[Wall Street Journal, 3/15/12] With the GOP race neck and neck ahead of Illinois? Tuesday primary, Romney?s campaign and allies are making large advertising buys. To drive suburban voters to the polls, Romney and a super PAC backing him have spent $3.4 million so far in the state.

What a Cub Political Reporter Learned From Her Elders: Not Much
[National Journal, 3/15/12] Over the past six months, the GOP nominating contest has defied logic and precedent: Time and time again, the veterans and conventional wisdom have been wrong. National Journal?s Naureen Khan takes you through several instances in this year?s race where precedent failed us.

California Could Decide the GOP Nominee NEW!
[Washington Post, 3/16/12] California is not exactly the GOP?s idea of home turf, but the state?s June 5 primary is looking more and more like it may determine whether Romney can win the Republican nomination or whether the party goes to its August convention without a nominee.

Santorum Cements Conservative Connection
[Washington Post, 3/15/12] With his recent victories in the deep South, Santorum has cemented his connection to the party?s base of social and religious conservatives, a group that has not always embraced Catholics but has found an unwavering standard-bearer in Santorum.

DNC Slams Romney: "Wrong for Women, Wrong for Illinois" NEW!
[Chicago Sun-Times, 3/16/12] As the Republican presidential candidates make their way to the Land of Lincoln, the DNC is going after their positions on women?s issues. Romney has tried to make an appeal to moderate Republicans and independents in the state?a key constituency Democrats do not want to lose.

GOP Strategy For Hispanic Voters: It?s the Economy NEW!
[New York Times, 3/16/12] With the Hispanic vote poised to become a deciding factor in several crucial swing states, GOP leaders think they have found a fresh approach: an appeal to Hispanics? growing distress over the sluggish economic recovery.

Opinion: Can Santorum beat Romney in Illinois? NEW!
[Chicago Tribune, 3/16/12] Santorum proved that he can win in the South with his victories in Alabama and Mississippi. The question now is: Can he win the North? Illinois could prove that he can. As the Tribune?s Peter Morici writes,? Santorum has great appeal to farmers and blue-collar voters, like he proved in Ohio.

Signs of Financial Strain Finally Showing Up For Romney
[Associated Press, 3/15/12] New signs of financial stress are emerging in Romney?s campaign, which has built a wide lead in delegates thanks in part to the might of his bank account and multistate operation. This week, Romney was forced to spend two days privately courting donors in the New York area, even as his rivals were wooing voters ahead of pivotal elections.

Santorum Turns to Secretive Group For Money Muscle
[Politico, 3/16/12] Santorum may have found his best shot at both cash and organization in a secretive club of some of the right?s richest and most powerful players. Its members have been credited with solidifying the rise of George W. Bush and working to undercut the 2008 bids of Romney and Rudy Giuliani.

Early Glimpse of Missouri Caucuses Show Support For Santorum NEW!
[New York Times, 3/16/12] For weeks, the Romney camp has argued that Santorum?s victory in the Missouri primary was meaningless because no delegates were awarded. But an early glimpse into the arduous process of formally electing delegates in the race, which is unfolding across Missouri, shows support for Santorum.

GOP Enthusiasm Has Fallen Steeply Since 2008
[National Journal, 3/15/12] Recent polls show that Republicans are less enthusiastic about having Romney or Santorum as their potential presidential nominee than they were four years ago about Sen. John McCain. The lackluster numbers are a worrying sign that the GOP?s bitter primary fight has already sapped voter enthusiasm, leaving the party weakened for a fall fight against Obama.

After Giving Limbaugh a Bye, Romney Blasts Maher
[National Journal, 3/15/12] After taking a pass on criticizing conservative talk-show host Rush Limbaugh for calling a Georgetown University student a prostitute, Romney used strong terms to condemn remarks by liberal talk-show host ?Bill Maher, who used vulgar language to describe Sarah Palin.

Gingrich Resets His 'Vision' Message on the Stump in Illinois
[Chicago Tribune, 3/15/12] Gingrich said on the stump yesterday that he was ?resetting? his campaign after two disappointing losses to Santorum in the South. Speaking in the affluent Chicago suburb of Lake in the Hills, Ill., he said he wanted to fine-tune his campaign, paraphrasing the Bible: ?Without vision, the people perish.?

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Source: http://news.yahoo.com/evangelicals-rise-095114280.html

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