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 Evangelicals are expected to account for about 40% of the Republican vote on Tuesday's primary in Florida.
January 28th, 2012
02:00 AM ET
Florida Evangelicals a different breed of voter than brethren in Iowa, South CarolinaBy John Sepulvado, CNN (CNN) - Conservative Christian activist Ralph Reed has called the Bible Belt home for decades, but he grew up in Miami in the 1970s, when the city was emerging as a diverse megalopolis. Among his middle school friends were Jews, Catholics and Methodists. Then, at age 15, Reed's family relocated to the sleepy mountain town of Toccoa, Georgia, so his dad, a doctor, could take a better-paying job. “It was very conservative,” says Reed, who now lives outside Atlanta. “At first – as would be true of any 15-year-old – I didn’t like it. I think it was a culture shock.” Ultimately, the mostly evangelical residents of Toccoa shaped Reed’s faith, helping lead him to Jesus in his 20s. But in terms of his faith-based organizing, the well-known activist drew more on his experiences in hyper-diverse Miami. "Later on in life, when I became a leader in the Christian Coalition, I had a greater appreciation [for] ethnic and religious diversification,” Reed says. That could be good news for Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney. The former Massachusetts governor is looking to regain momentum from chief rival Newt Gingrich, after the former speaker’s upset in South Carolina, in Florida’s Tuesday primary. There are signs that Florida’s evangelical voters may be more forgiving of Romney’s past social liberalism than their Iowa and South Carolina brethren – and more willing to support a Mormon candidate. “I think Romney could do well in Florida,” Reed says. A more centrist evangelicalism As a percentage of GOP voters, there are fewer evangelicals in Florida compared to South Carolina and Iowa, where Rick Santorum won the presidential caucuses, according to CNN exit polls from 2008. In that year, evangelicals accounted for 40% of Republican primary voters in Florida, compared to 60% in the Iowa caucuses and South Carolina primaries. And compared to those other early primary states, Florida is much more religiously diverse. In the 2008 primary there, Catholics were nearly a third of the Republican vote, with other kinds of Christians, Jews and those with no religious affiliation each claiming a chunk of the vote. Still, evangelical Christians claim a bigger share of the Florida Republican vote than any other religious tradition. There also are signs they may be more tolerant of a Mormon candidate than born-again Christians in the Bible Belt and Midwest. In the South Carolina primary, Romney claimed 22% of the evangelical vote, compared to 44% for Gingrich, according to CNN exit polls. Florida’s evangelicals are “more open” to the idea of a Mormon in the White House, according to Orlando area pastor Joel C. Hunter. “Our nature, of being a fairly mobile state, with a lot of tourism and a lot of transcultural and transnational interaction really makes us boundary spanning, rather than sticking to our own affinity groups,” Hunter says. He leads a congregation of 15,000 at Northland, a Church Distributed, a nondenominational megachurch of the kind that are more popular in Florida than in Iowa or South Carolina. “For any independent church, you’re going to be open – necessarily open – to non-ready made boundaries, open to other religious groups,” Hunter says. “You’ll be more likely to partner with groups that aren’t necessarily like your own.” The pastor cites his church’s partnerships with local synagogues and mosques to help local homeless children. For Hunter, teaming up with different religious traditions follows the example of Jesus. “Jesus talked to the people, the religious leaders others wouldn’t talk to,” he says. “As an evangelical, I should be ready to talk to a lot of people that aren’t like myself, because that’s what I see in the life of Christ, and I’m looking to build relationships.” Mark I. Pinsky, the Florida-based author of "A Jew Among Evangelicals," says there are other key differences between evangelicals in Florida and those in Iowa and South Carolina. “In Iowa,” Pinsky says, “they tend to be rural and older. In South Carolina, they tend to be more fundamentalist, and more likely to be affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention,” a denomination that isn’t shy about pointing out theological differences with Mormonism. Pinsky says Florida evangelicals, especially in the central part of the state, are more likely to have Mormons as neighbors, compared to their brethren in South Carolina and Iowa. “Nondenominational evangelicals are less likely to demonize someone who is a real person,” Pinsky says. Less Preaching, More Teaching Even in smaller Baptist churches in Florida’s Panhandle, there are “notable differences” with Christians in more historically evangelical parts of the country, according to pastor Curtis Clark. “There’s still a lot of yelling from the pulpit in South Carolina,” says Clark, who leads a congregation of 2,500 at Thomasville Road Baptist Church in Tallahassee. Clark says his congregation is split between Republicans and Democrats, that almost all the adults have college degrees and that the parishioners want to be led, not yelled at. “I try and teach, try and encourage,” Clark says. “Florida evangelicals are a little bit more educated, and have a broader experience.” Census figures from 2010 show Florida has a slightly greater share of college graduates than South Carolina. Both the Romney and Gingrich campaigns are reaching out to evangelicals to quell concerns about their candidacies. Both campaigns held conference calls with influential conservative religious leaders last week, discussing religion, personal and policy decisions. Many evangelicals have expressed concern about Romney’s past support for abortion rights and gay rights and over Gingrich’s failed marriages. But Romney doesn’t need to win big among evangelicals to take Florida, Reed says. Because evangelicals make up a smaller portion of Republican voters, Reed says Romney only needs to win a sizeable share of their support. “If Romney gets a third of evangelical voters” Reed says, “he wins the primary.” While Romney skipped meeting with some evangelical leaders in South Carolina, including officials at Bob Jones University, his campaign has started more aggressively courting pastors and religious community networks in Florida. The campaign has participated in multiple conference calls with religious leaders and activists. “In part, I think [the Romney campaign is] more open to outreach by virtue of the Florida demographic,” Reed says. That suggests the Romney camp suspects Florida’s evangelicals will be more open to his candidacy than other evangelicals in the primary states so far.
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I forgot to mention that Conservative translates into INTOLERANT!
Note the beer bracelet on his left wrist. Loves me some God, loves me some Miller Lite!
I find it interesting how there are literally infinite things that we humans don't believe in, but don't believe in someone’s God(s) & you get believers' righteous indignation of how stupid you are. If they could only step back & see just how ridiculous that is.
they do realize. but most religious folks today only practice because they can't cut their loses.
IceT you are right. God is GOD! Period end of discussion. What these evangelicals do is slam a wedge between themselves and all those who believe in God. However, Evangelicals believe that because of Christ's sacrifice, that somehow THEIR GOD is better than anything. I hate to break it to them slowly, but the God of Abraham is the same as that not only of Jews, but Sikhs, Buddhists, Zaoroastrians, All denominations of Christianity, indigenous people all around the globe, Hindus, Muslims, etc. Evangelicals do not have the market cornered on God or Christ. They just want you to be as intolerant as they are.
21k .. I have to agree with you on that!
I do not understand how a person can call themselves a conservative and a Christian. The two do not mix. Prosperity gospels are not what Jesus taught. Jesus said that "when I was naked, you clothed feed me; when I was hungry, you feed me". Yet a conservative Christian wants to turn their backs on the least of there brothers and support the theory of Rich get richer while the poor and middle class can barely exist. Romney and Gingrich stand for the rich and a continued path of destruction for middle class and the poor. The right man is already in the presidential office and yes he is a Christian who is biblically sound. Evangelical "Conservative" Christians wake up and smell the coffee because judgement day is coming!
Piety beats goodness every time.
I'm an atheist who believes in Jesus; Jesus the revolutionary, fighting tyrany on all fronts, whether Roman occupiers or corrupt money lenders. I believe he was so ahead of his time, that followers would embelish his accomplishments, to micraculous proportions. If they had graphic T-shirts back then, they sure would have looked cooler than Che Guevara's
I have said this before and I will keep repeating it! I don't care what candidate is up for office, Dem or Rep, if they mention God they do not get my vote. I like the separation of Church and State. Also, its a little bit of an Oxymoron to call yourself a "Conservative Christian" when Christ was the most Liberal of thinkers in his time! Never trust anybody who wears their faith on their sleeve. Faith should be in your heart, not on your sleeve. Be very wary of those who speak with faith based initiatives.
Agreed.
So you've never voted then?
Joey, I have to echo VanHagar here, either you have never voted or you are a liar. EVERY president brings God into it. You can't even get sworn in with bringing God into it and you certainly can't get elected.
the guy in the photo looks like he did just see god. he's probably hammered in some strip club.
enjoy your youth. it's short lived.
There is an actual physically induced emotional response which occurs when raising one's arms up like the guy in the picture is doing. It is sort of losing the protective abilities of the arms to shield from harm. Try it. It's weird. These folks take that feeling as something supernatural or divinely connected. It isn't. This guy is getting extra jollies with one hand over his heart so that he can feel those self-induced kathumps in his heartbeat.
Why are Christians so political? Jesus ignored the 'politicians' and politics. They should care more about the teachings of Christ rather than politics & false words of politicians. It would be a better world, the world Christ wanted, if Christians behaved like Christians and not political pawns of the GOP.
I agree with you 100%. I tried to tell the First Baptist Church to render unto Caesar what was Caesar's and unto God what was God's. They brought those coalition people in with sample ballots already circled around their 'recommended' candidates. Outrageous. Some of our members were over 80. They already knew how to vote.
Report the church to the IRS.
How do you make an 'evangelical'? Two parts racist, half-part stupid, one part hootnanny Jebus. The other half-part is left empty so everything can rattle around in there.
The inspiration of the Bible depends upon the ignorance of the person who reads it.
How about the ignorance of those that wrote it?
Some direct quotes from http://www.bbcgf.org/chbc/chbcl1.htm:
Here are some quotes by famous people who were influenced by the BIBLE:
'I believe the BIBLE is the best gift God has given to man.' (Abraham Lincoln)
'The BIBLE is worth all other books which have ever been printed.' (Patrick Henry)
'The secret of my success? It is simple. It is found in the BIBLE, "In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths".' (George Washington Carver, quoting Proverbs 3:6)
'I have for many years made it a practice to read through the BIBLE once a year.' (John Quincy Adams)
'That Book sir, (the BIBLE) is the rock on which our republic rests.' (Andrew Jackson)
'The New Testament is the very best that ever was or ever will be known in the world.' (Charles Dickens)
'If a man is not familiar with the BIBLE, he has suffered a loss which he had better make all possible haste to correct. A thorough knowledge of the BIBLE is worth more than a college education.' (Theodore Roosevelt)
'There are more marks of authenticity in the BIBLE than in any profane history.' (Sir Isaac Newton)
'The BIBLE is no mere book, but a living creature, with a power that conquers all that oppose it.' (Napoleon)
'When you have read the BIBLE, you will know it is the Word of God, because you will have found it the key to your own heart, your own happiness, and your own duty.' (Woodrow Wilson)
'Believe me sir, never a night goes by, be I ever so tired, but I read the Word of God before I go to bed.' (Douglas MacArthur)
And: famous authors and their works have been influenced by the BIBLE. Authors such as Longfellow, Hawthorne, Shakespeare, Ruskin and Irving quote thousands of BIBLE references in their writings.
Ron, so you're classifying all mentioned people as ignorant?
really: at least back then they had an excuse for being ignorant of our reality. but today, we have collage educated folks who cling to this fiction with their guns loaded. that is what's so dangerous now.
eastern. but now we have explored the moon, decoded the human genome, obliterated cities with nuclear weapons. we no longer need to attribute mysteries to a book (there are several versions) written and re-written over hundreds of years, all much later than when the events described actually happened. do what you want, but don't expect me to want to support your fantasy with tax exemptions much longer.
Only in message board with anonymous names could someone with a nickname like 21k call our founding fathers and some of the greatest leaders in the world ignorant. And American youth are so very, very intelligent and so well traveled. I mean, when you've been soused in Mexico on spring break for 10 days, you know all the secrets to the universe.
There's a big difference between "ignorant" and "indoctrinated".
"I do not believe in a personal God and I have never denied this but have expressed it clearly. If something is in me which can be called religious then it is the unbounded admiration for the structure of the world so far as our science can reveal it. (Albert Einstein, 1954)"
rp
Both words are applicable to understanding why people believe in some god and myths such as that concerning some dude named jesus. We know many more things today than those that lived before us. They were / are ignorant (not knowing) by comparison. The biggest factors in what cult you have been indoctrinated into are geography and what your parents believe. Almost no one consciously picks a cult or switches cults (compared to the number of believers that just accept their parent's beliefs).
ERE, The bible is a book, not a living creature. Living creatures change and adapt. So, to answer your question, Napoleon was ignorant.
You say "your religion" is between you and your god, why is this not the same for the politicians you vote for? Why do the politicians have to adhere to the same faith as you? Can't their faith also be between just them and their god?
He was born into poverty and a broken family. His father, and immigrant, left his mother to fend for herself while he was still a young boy. While as a teenager he feel into the wrong crowd and then his mother died of cancer. His father later died too.
He was then an orphan being raised by his Godly grandmother. She showed him faith that he at first did not embrace. But being a strong student he received scholarships to universality. He eventually was accepted into an ivy league school on his own merit.
While there he met an amazing woman from a strong born again faith background. This family was grounded in social action as the out-flowing of their faith. The orphan boy became a born again believer in Jesus Christ. They married and they graduated at the top of their class with law degrees.
Instead of taking million dollar salaries they took jobs helping the poor with cheap legal work.
As a born again believer I will vote for the person who walks the walk.
Who am I talking about?
Sarah Palin?
kidding
rp
Obama! It's going to be great to see him get re-elected...
This is a stylized, fairy tale rendition of Obama's story. It doesn't compare well to how he spent his days. Nor does it excuse his present activities. Both spouses were long-shots for the million dollar salaries at their respective firms. Recognizing that, they went for power, knowing that worldly wealth would follow. It has and on a faster track than it would have at their firm.
Thank God that He forgives us all through His grace. But that doesn't mean that I will vote for the orphan you describe. My children's future stands to be harmed.
We cannot be partaker of Christ, while we yet have one foot still in the world; knowing that whosoever is a friend of the world is the enemy of God. This you must know.
oh boy, you sound like one of those end-of-days types. here's hoping you're being monitored by law enforcement.
Who talks like this any more? Don't just copy, put in your own thoughts (or list your source).
I am the enemy of this world and God. Where is your God now?
“I try and teach, try and encourage,” Clark says. “Florida evangelicals are a little bit more educated, and have a broader experience.” -Wow, this gang of followers is even more arrogant than the others, if that's even possible!
So, let me get this straight. According to a Florida Evangelical, one must be more educated to be more open minded?
Isn't that what we, "non Christians", having been trying to say?
rp
Romney is as deceptive as any of them. From his offshore accounts to his giving huge sums to the tax-write-off Mormon Church/cult, Romney cares about one thing and one thing only: helping his cult achieve world Dominion!
The LDS Bible Dictionary states:
"The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the kingdom of God on the earth, but is at the present limited to an ecclesiastical kingdom. During the millennial era, the kingdom of God will be both political and ecclesiastical (see Dan. 7:18, 22, 27; Rev. 11:15; JST Rev. 12:13, 7; D&C 65), and will have worldwide jurisdiction in political realms when the Lord has made a full end of all nations (D&C 87:6)."
In actual, literal Mormon Temple rituals (the Initiatory), Mitt Romney and his wife have been "anointed to become Kings and Queens, Priests and Priestesses unto the most high God, to rule and reign in the House of Israel forever". As rich, powerful, prominent Mormons, closely related to the current and past leaders of the Mormon cult, the Romneys are positioning themselves to help other Mormons rise to power on their quest to "fulfill prophecy" and take over the world.
Over the past decades, a disproportionate number of Mormons arrive at the higher levels of the CIA, FBI, military intelligence, armed forces, and all levels of city, state, and federal governments, including the Senate, Congress, Cabinet, and White House Staff. They give the impression of being sincere and loyal citizens, but most of the general population is unaware of the secret (sacred?) and "prophetic" ambition of The Brethren. So we lull ourselves into a false sense of security: What could be better than having such patriots as these serving in strategic areas of government and national security?
Each year, the Romneys give considerable donations to non-profit organizations, with the Mormon Church being the largest recipient. Over the past several years, the Romneys have given over $4.8 million to the Mormon Church, with an additional over a half million given to the Mormon-Church owned Brigham Young University.
Colbert may make fun of Romney, but Mormon Dominionism, seeking to bring an end to US sovereignty and establish world dominion under the Mormon hierarchy, is NO laughing matter!
Romney is merely following his cult's well known tithing requirements and making perfectly legal charitable donations. Why are you criticizing someone for keeping his obligations and being generous? He has not personally managed his investments in over 10 years. They are managed by a trustee of a blind trust specifically to avoid conflicts of interest.
If other believer cults adhered to their own cult's stated rules, the number of abortions in the USA would be significantly less than the about 780,000 abortions had by believers each year.
Finally all the major cults (certainly christianity and islam, perhaps not judaism) want all to believe their mythology – they all have a world domination aspect.
You all are nuts. Obama says he's a Christian, the vice president is a Jew, Harry Reid is a Mormon (even more Mormony than Romney). Gingrich is a Catholic and believes the Pope is infallible. I don't see what all the fuss is about. There are congressmen and women of all religions, and some with no religions at all. This is who our nation is run by.
If you want to live in a country where only one religious school of though exists, this is called Saudi Arabia...you can live there, they are taking new applicants. But for now you live in America. If you want to live in a country where NO religion exists, you can create one. But for now you live in America. This nation was not made for only one religion...or to bar people that have no religion at all.
Same Kool-aid, different flavor!
horses have a God their God is God
just sayin,
So your god is their god. I got it.
Let me know the next time a horse says a prayer.
Willlbuuuuurrrrrr!
The same God created man and horse.
just sayin...I told you, I got it already. Their god is your god. I got it.
LOL @ just sayin .. Talked to many horses lately .. now I'M just sayin'
Yes, they are still concerning themselves with politics. Christians are called to be nothing like the 'world' and to separate themselves from it. These people immerses themselves into a very greedy political party, the GOP. Embarrassing it and trust the GOP more than Christ.
Their color red is my color red.
What is the color red?
rp
rm .. we can see "red", we cannot see a God. You're "believe" a God exists, but we "know" color does. Actually, we don't know that we see the same red as each other let alone the same red as horses see.
Do horses go to horsey heaven?
The Horse God reigns (reins) 🙂
oh yes, and the Horse God leads them to Green Pastures, and to streets of 24-carrot gold!
i can not as evangelical christian vote for a Mormon Period!! its a perversion of oure faith! no dought mormons are just people like us but misled! mormonism isa false doctrine so to say atleast he beleaves in jesus hes ok with me lol rember if you have to tell some one youre a christian youre Not! theres more at stake than just Moral agenda's my faith is a personel thing between me & god & no one else im so tired of people screaming there christians to get a vote! how can a man worth 200million dollors really know how most of us feal? anyways vote on every aspect of the canadate not just that hes a christian! & rember you get the Government u Deserve
Much better to vote for a known liar with sufficient ethical issues to have been run out of Congress, a person who switches cults as fast as his girlfriends drop their panties and a self-admitted fornicator. Yes, Newt's personal traits are far superior to Mitt's!
Can someone please enlighten me on what exactly is an Evangelical Christian? Is he a Baptist, or a Methodist, or a Calvinist, or something else? Just asking.
You say "your religion" is between you and your god, why is this not the same for the politicians you vote for? Why do the politicians have to adhere to the same faith as you? Can't their faith also be between just them and their god?
eddie
Beafore yoo shair you're oppinionz withe us yoo shood lern too yoos a spel cheker.
As a canadian hotairace will not be voting in any of our elections. His opinion amounts to less than dog crap in our political system. There's your sign
Looooove the pic ... sure gets across how religious believers brains see the world.
He slipped on some santorum.
I dismissed all this hogwash about a god at the age of 10 and I will NEVER understand how anyone of even average intelligence can look at religion or anything related to a "god" and not just believe in it but to actually live their lives based on some fairy tale written by people that at the time had not even an inkling of science and reality. ATHIESTS RISE UP AND BE COUNTED!
Yes! Rise up all you Materialistic Atheists (Capitalists, Socialists, Communists, Nazi, etc...) so we can all see you for what you truly are!
Materialistic Atheists?
I'm curious as to what's parked in your driveway.
BTW – HItler believed in Jesus.
rp
Which Jesus? Moslems tell us that they believe in Jesus also. So do Mormons.
Prayer changes things
I'm sorry, did you have a point??
You, again?
People who are prayed for live longer and get cured of their illnesses. Just ask your insurance company for lower rates. Your two hundred year old pastor will back you up.
Tony, that supposed "study" was debunked long ago.
Prayer changes things
It is not by strength that one prevails
Those who oppose the Lord will be shattered
Prayer changes things
OK everyone. He's right, he's right. Just tell him he's right!
Ok, I oppose the lord. Oh Lord, so smite me now 🙂
Aaaargh......