Family Life

12.21.11 | Bob Price, Sarah Harnisch

   Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum has the backing of two key conservative groups in Iowa with less than two weeks to go before the Iowa caucuses.  The Family Leader and the Iowa Family Policy Center both are supporting him in his bid for the White House.
      Bob Vander Plaats is the C.E.O of the the Family Leader and he says Santorum could be the 2012 Mike Huckabee, Iowa's 2008 caucus winner. Vander Plaats says "I saw him as a champion of the family for the U.S. House. I saw him as a champion for the family in the U.S. Senate."
      The Family Leader proved its political power last year when it led the efforts to oust three Iowa Supreme Court justices over the legalization of gay marriage.  Chuck Hurley is President of the Iowa Family Policy Center. He says "I urge every undecided Iowa caucus member to take a close look, to study the scriptures, to pray hard, and to vote their conscience."
      Both Hurley and Vander Plaats stressed their organizations are remaining neutral and the endorsements were personal.  The Iowa caucuses are January 3rd.