Faith, Freedom Forum: Candidates Court Evangelicals
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WAUKEE, Iowa -- Faith took center stage for many of the 2016 presidential candidates this weekend in Iowa. They took part in the Faith and Freedom Coalition summit, hoping to attract evangelicals to support their campaigns.
An Iowa mega-church provided a mega-dose of scripture and campaign promises as presidential candidates took the pulpit looking to sway an evangelical congregation.
Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., defended the pro-life position.
"I'm tired of us retreating on this issue and I'm going to push back," Paul promised.
Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal pushed hard on religious liberty.
"The United States of America did not create religious liberty; religious liberty created the United States of America," Jindal declared.
Evangelicals play a critical role in Iowa. Four years ago this state went to former Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa. Four years before that former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee won here. Both of them look like they'll be back again for another try, but this time the field is much wider and deeper.
There could be more than 10 candidates and so far Christian voters seem torn.
"Ted Cruz is the real deal. He is a solid Christian, 100 percent knows God," James Knox of Iowa told CBN News.
Shannon Batchelder of Nebraska said, "I think Gov. Mike Huckabee stood out and he has for some time. He would definitely be my first choice without question."
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, told CBN News that winning this crowd means everything.
"I think evangelicals, Christians, people of faith are going to play the decisive role in the Republican primary and I think we're going to play the decisive role in the general election in 2016," Cruz said.
And he is just one of many competing here.
As Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., rises in the polls, he's filling up local Iowa house parties and reassuring voters that he sees no constitutional right to gay marriage. That's an issue the Supreme Court takes up this week.
"It doesn't exist. There is no federal constitutional right to same-sex marriage," he told CBN News.
"You would really have to have a ridiculous and absurd reading of the U.S. Constitution to reach the conclusion that people have a right to marry people of the same sex. There is no such constitutional right," Rubio said.
Fighting to protect traditional marriage will be just one of many issues these candidates address head on here in Iowa and beyond.
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