Tim LaHaye Endorses Gingrich; NOM Head Supports Santorum
Tim LaHaye today announced his support for former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich in a letter to South Carolina pastors. The nod from the powerful Christian leader is expected to give Gingrich a much needed boost over the next several weeks in the evangelical heavy Bible belt.
The best-selling author is best known for co-writing the Left Behind series, which sold over 63 million copies. His wife, Beverly, is no stranger to the conservative political movement either, as she is the founder of Concerned Women for America.
LaHaye sent a letter to pastors in South Carolina singing Gingrich’s praises and saying the former speaker was in the best “strategic position to improve America.”
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He also referenced a conversation he had with the late Christian Right leader Jerry Falwell, who in 2007 told LaHaye that Gingrich was “the most qualified man in America to run as president of the United States.”
“During the last three years our nation has been led by liberal secularists who have tried their best to remove God from our public square,” LaHaye says in the letter. “Please prayerfully consider going to the polls on January 21 and help elect Newt Gingrich, a proven conservative who has the best chance of replacing the present occupant of the White House.”
“If we do not change our leaders in the next election we will end up being like the godless socialist countries of Europe,” LaHaye continues in the letter. “That will so destroy our country in four years that many experts believe we will never be able to reclaim it for moral and physical sanity.”
But Gingrich is not the only Republican presidential hopeful that is benefiting from evangelical endorsements.
Maggie Gallagher, who heads up the National Organization for Marriage, announced Thursday her personal support for former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum.
“The American people, I promise you, are not going to reject a man they would otherwise support because he believes in traditional Christian views of sex and marriage,” said Gallagher in an email to her supporters. “Especially when he believes – not just with his words, and not just with his vote, but with every action of his soul and his life – that a man's job is to support his children, born and unborn, to commit to a loving and faithful marriage to one woman, and to devote himself to being a good dad. That's Rick Santorum.”
Even Ron Paul has picked up the endorsement of a retired military chaplain with South Carolina roots.
Dr. James F. Linzey, a retired Major who currently heads up the Military Bible Association, is asking all military personnel and South Carolina pastors to support Paul. Interestingly, Linzey said he considers Paul and Texas Gov. Rick Perry the only two “evangelicals” in the race.
“If military members want to come home and secure America from all enemies, foreign and domestic, as the Constitution says they’re supposed to do, Ron Paul is the Commander-in-Chief they need to make this a reality. Ron Paul is a Baptist who does not exploit religion for political gain.”
The South Carolina primary will be held on Jan. 21
