A month has passed since a gay rights activist Floyd Lee Corkins II walked into the headquarters of the Family Research Council in Washington, D.C. and wounded a building employee.
    
FRC President Tony Perkins spoke with CBN News about the incident, as well as the issues that he believes will play an important role in the upcoming election.

Perkins said despite the general belief the economy is all that matters in this election, social issues such as abortion and same-sex marriage will still be important to voters.

"We also believe that if you want to strengthen the economy, you must first strengthen the American family," Perkins told CBN News.

He said this year's crucial swing states have tended to be pro-life and pro-traditional marriage in past elections.

"Many of the states where pro-life action has been strongest are swing states in the 2012 elections," he noted.

What shocks him, Perkins said, is how vicious the debate has become about these contentious social issues.

Perkins suggested the political rancor is part of what led suspect Corkins to attack FRC's headquarters.

"It's time to stop hurling labels of hate and have a legitimate debate about the policies that govern our nation," Perkins said.

Perkins noted that Corkins had the potential to execute a massacre.

"The man who shot Leo Johnson carried with him enough ammunition to kill over half the office people in our building that day," he told CBN News.

Still, an hour or so after the shooting, Perkins said FRC staff gathered to pray for the man who may have planned to kill as many of them as he could that day.