Evangelicals Turning to Ron Paul

Writes the Star-Telegram’s Bud Kennedy:

Nobody was surprised when Rick Santorum won church voters in that predominantly Catholic state.

But their No. 2 choice was born-again libertarian Ron Paul.

Paul adviser Doug Wead, a former adviser to both Presidents Bush, said evangelicals also favor Paul because he opposes abortion and because “Christians have learned that the Constitution is our friend.”

It was Wead who coined George W. Bush’s term “compassionate conservative.”

Paul, a low-key Southern Baptist churchgoer, is worrying evangelical kingmakers such as James Dobson and the Rev. Don Wildmon because “they fear losing power,” Wead said.

“They wanted Perry. They didn’t want [Mitt] Romney. They wanted one of their own.”

Paul is finding votes in a growing divide among evangelicals.

Some want a strong government to promote Judeo-Christian values and aggressively defend Israel.

Others want a thrifty government that leaves most decisions to the state level and lets Christianity flourish on its own.

“If we allow the federal government to dictate, it will dictate the wrong way more often,” Wead said.

If Israel were threatened, Paul would act, Wead said: “But he believes in the Constitution, and only Congress should decide when we go to war in the Middle East, not pundits on TV.”

Evangelical leaders all but drafted Perry, who attends a Southern Baptist megachurch, after Mike Huckabee bowed out and Newt Gingrich faltered.

Now, with Santorum surging, Dobson, Wildmon and former presidential candidate Gary Bauer have called a summit next weekend in Central Texas to plan their next move.

“It’s really all about them and that little group keeping power,” Wead said.

Ron Paul 2012 Presidential Campaign Committee