West Des Moines, Iowa – Republican presidential candidate Sam Brownback on Wednesday courted influential evangelical leaders in Iowa, hoping their support could help his long-shot bid for the nomination.
Brownback’s meeting with 15 to 20 evangelical pastors came as the Kansas senator plans his strategy for the Aug. 11 straw poll in Ames, Iowa.
“It’s typical in an election that people hold back and want to get a good feel for the candidate,” Brownback said. “Now we’re getting within eyeshot of Aug. 11 and they’re breaking and a lot of them are breaking our way.”
Although top-tier candidates Rudy Giuliani and John McCain will skip the straw poll, the event will have an impact on the rest of the field and the fortunes of the lesser-known candidates such as Brownback. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is expected to finish first in the poll.
Brownback spoke with reporters after meeting privately with the evangelical pastors, some of whom said his staunchly conservative message resonates with their congregations.
The Rev. Bob Deever of Grace West Church in West Des Moines said he appreciates Brownback’s focus on the family.
“He has the right heart, and family is very much faith- based,” Deever said.
Evangelical Christians have played an important role in Iowa Republican politics since the 1987-88 presidential election cycle. TV evangelist Pat Robertson won the straw poll then.
