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Where Do Value Voters' Issues Fit Into 2012?

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    Family Research Council president Tony Perkins weighs in

  • Duration 5:09
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GOP presidential candidate Ron Paul has won the 2011 values voter summit presidential straw poll.

The Texas congressman pulled in 37%.

Of the votes.

Despite his success in several straw polls Paul repeal at least force in single digits in the national polls but we spoke to -- the -- of the vote and He was pretty pleased with how the event was going.

All I do is deliver a message that I've been.

35 -- -- -- -- down I was very pleased it was well received today.

So I felt good lot of times I'm very very critical of myself because I see my flaws but today I actually felt pretty good.

About the reception I got.

And writing -- -- -- some love last month's Florida presidential five -- -- victory Atlanta businessman Herman Cain came in second with 23%.

The two perceived presidential front runners though finished very far behind Texas governor Rick Perry only pulled -- 8% and former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney drew.

4%.

From -- campaign watchers it wasn't a question -- if Mitt Romney's Mormon faith would become an issue but when it what.

It sparked quite a controversy this weekend at the values voters summit in Washington and joining us to talk about that and much more.

Is Tony Perkins president of the family research council which hosts the annual gathering up cultural conservatives Tony thanks for coming in today.

Thank you can be region are let's talk first about this controversy Robert -- their Jeffers is a pastor in -- -- introduced governor Rick Perry.

He's -- governor Perry's past -- he's not a surrogate but He did get approval as I understand it from the campaign to introduce and he's made some comments about Mormon is an -- -- colts that have been very up controversy you'll He clarified that today to say didn't mean in the traditional sense the word but He theological colts.

And that has sparked a lot of controversy so it's how less what -- Perry campaign did okay what they knew about this pastor the fact that He was gonna introduce governor Perry.

Well first off -- none of this was said from the platform this came in the sidebar conversation that the pastor had -- Some reporters nobody knew that was going to be said.

The -- been recommended that He introduced the the that the candidate to repair -- that was sent to the governor's staff and they signed off when He pastors one of the largest churches in Texas -- -- very well respected pastor.

This was unfortunate comment that was made in a sidebar conversation.

And not the gloss over the the issues -- clearly.

Theological differences between evangelicals.

And and mormons but that was not the purpose of this summit to someone was pulled together values voters those focused on those core value issues so we're not building a church were building a coalition that.

Move the country back to to the right road.

All right it just to a -- of reaction from the Perry campaign this comes to us from mark miner who is the Press Secretary for the governor's campaign.

He said the governor doesn't agree with every single issue with every when He knows or supports his candidacy He is running for president to get our economy back on track and create jobs.

Okay so that's that controversy and and that will continue possibly to lay out you can have a -- in this they would as a country exactly all right so we'll tell you what's this about the straw poll because Ron Paul does incredibly well -- straw polls but as we talked about.

When it comes to actual polling with potential voters say it changes a bit tell us how your straw poll worked well.

First -- we had the 3400.

People registered for this for -- 600 came and registered early Saturday morning where there we had a large crowd for Ron Paul after He spoke.

There's a lot to dissipated.

Is very good organizing his folks to come in and hear his speeches.

But I'll have to say you know what -- this was a summit values voters from across the country in the majority of them came.

Undecided wanting to hear -- the candidates have to say I think it's unfortunate that Ron Paul's campaign does this through these straw polls they bring their folks and and and these are people looking for information values voters just there for the weekend.

Not there just to hear one candidate vote -- and that's basically what Ron Paul so that they buy tickets for the -- at a conference as everybody had to buy ticket individually the campaign the Paul campaign tried to buy.

A block of tickets early.

We refuse to sell blocks of tickets to the campaigns individuals had to buy them individually and they did that -- I have to give them credit for being well organized and and a strong following.

And I wouldn't write that campaign off.

Simply because they gonna game straw -- They are tapping into a lot of discontent that is out there with the direction of America and I think.

I He does have a campaign that resonates with a lot of people is -- -- again and again I'm very quickly when -- is there room in this condensed and current environment where everybody's -- about the economy jobs.

To be talking about social issues during the campaigns you know.

And -- two earth wind and if you -- You -- you look at the issue of big expensive government we'll never shrink the size of government or the scope of government that we strengthen the American family the two are intertwined.

And that's the message of the value voters yes we want a strong economy but we realize we've got to have strong families to go.

Right Tony Perkins of the family research council and -- values voter summit thanks much for stopping and.

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