Gingrich Is Cozier With Iowa Evangelicals Than You May Think

[progressoid]

Gingrich Is Cozier With Iowa Evangelicals Than You May Think

...

While it's true that the former House speaker ultimately may fail to achieve the redemption he's seeking from Iowa evangelicals, it is also a fact that he has been quietly building bridges to that important segment of the caucus-going electorate for more than a year now. And, he not only built the bridges, he paid for them. And that could turn out to be Gingrich's greatest secret weapon against his rivals in the Republican caucus in January.

Gingrich's financial ties to Freddie Mac and the mortgage market, the ethanol industry and big health care have gotten lots of well-deserved scrutiny lately, but less well analyzed is a nonprofit he started called Renewing American Leadership (ReAL), which was devoted to issues the religious right cares about. The organization was financed by donations solicited by Gingrich and run by a trusted political operative, Rick Tyler, who later went to work for his presidential campaign, according to multiple news accounts. ReAL poured $150,000 into the successful campaign by Iowa social conservatives in 2010 to oust three Iowa Supreme Court judges, who were targeted after the high court struck down a state ban on same-sex marriage.
...

Now, Gingrich's relationship with Vander Plaats is paying dividends. Vander Plaats currently heads a group called Family Leader, whose imminent endorsement of a Republican candidate for president is expected to carry great weight with evangelical voters, who make up roughly 60 percent of participants in the caucus. Not surprisingly, Vander Plaats has had flattering things to say about Gingrich lately, telling The Des Moines Register recently that "Newt blew it out of the park" in a focus group made up of evangelicals.

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2011/12/gingrich-is-cozier-with-iowa-evangelicals-than-you-may-think/249410/

Cross posted in GD

[Bluzmann57]

1. No real surprise

Gingrich is just another politician who will say abnd do almost anything to be rich and powerful.

[Condem]

2. Anybody else planning on going Republican a couple days before the caucuses?

happy and I are planning on attending the Republican Caucus. See if we can hold a little sway. How 'bout Newt. Just to see this asshole eviscerated in the GE. Anybody else?

[progressoid]

3. Ha ha. Sounds like fun.

My Dad did that a couple decades ago to get a local crazy on the GOP ticket. Even in this red (S King) part of the state, this guy was too much for the locals and the Dem won.

I may just do that. It would be interesting to see how the other half operates.
Of course, I'd probably run into my neighbor there. :hide:

[Condem]

4. Oh, we'll run into plenty of friends, progressoid.

Even in ultra-lib Iowa City. What else is there to do on January 3rd?

[progressoid]

5. After thinking about this for a day,

I'm kind of excited about this idea! I'm not sure which of their crazy candidates to vote for. I suppose Newt is just a bad as any.

And if I register as a repuke, I'll get all sorts of GOP junk mail and phone calls. I guess it's the price one has to pay.

[Condem]

6. We're going for Newt, progressoid.

Our logic is simple. With his past trangessions, both personal and political, the electoral road will be easier for Obama. There's so much depth to the shit in Gingrich's past. He's a walking timebomb. Watch out for Huntsman. He hasn't had his fifteen minutes in the spotlight. Yet.

[progressoid]

7. Yeah,

I overheard some RWers at a bar saying, "anybody but Mitt" but ultimately they come to the conclusion that they would vote for "anybody but Obama". I think it will be the independents and moderates will be a crucial voter block. Newt seems like a good choice to alienate those voters, which would be a good thing for us. :thumbsup:



I just came home to find 4 Santorum signs in a neighbors' yard. And a Ron Paul sign around the corner.
Sometimes I'm afraid to go out of the house. :hide:

[Condem]

8. Anybody but Mitt....

...yeah. The funny thing is that Romney stands the best chance of beating Obama because he appeals to the independents better than the rest of the dwarfs. With the exception of Huntsman. If this guy gets hot, watch out.

[Armin-A]

9. are you going to the iowa city area?

i heard a rumor that there might be a lot of people doing this from other parts of the state... any ideas if its true???

[Condem]

10. Haven't heard, Armin.

I live in the Goosetown section of town, so not a ton of Republicans. Iowa City High is where we go to caucus. Going to be awful strange walking in there as a Repub.