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Will evangelicals influence outcome of election?

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    Importance of key voting block

  • Duration 7:11
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Our -- stretches far beyond our borders.

Pat's family knows no borders.

In your life you faced daily trials.

But millions of believers in other lands face far worse.

They -- mocked and persecuted for the crime loving god.

-- every religious -- trapped in that cold cruel existence.

We send our love and support.

Our message.

You are not alone.

You are not forgotten.

Do not lose your faith and hope because some day you too.

Will be free.

Well that was president Ronald Reagan speaking to a group of evangelical voters back in 1983.

The group that supported him strongly back in 1980 and then would help deliver his landslide win in the coming re election.

Fast forward to today's presidential race and new questions about whether the evangelical voting bloc can and will.

Help put -- governor Romney over the top in key states where the polls are extremely tight right now.

Turning now Tony Perkins.

Head of the family research center.

And Michael Reagan chairman of the Reagan group and we couldn't think of two better guys to talk to about this this with -- on this Michael since we've we picked it up with.

-- -- and the overwhelming support that he had among evangelical voters we did some number crunching.

He let Carter in 1980 by sixteen points with the voting block and then when he went against Mondale he led.

By almost forty points with that voting -- how important were the evangelicals to your -- political success.

All the moral majority.

The evangelicals they were a huge difference in the campaign and in the election showing up for my father.

Back in 1980 and also in 1984.

And they could be huge eventual election in Ohio and Florida Colorado Virginia.

It's incumbent upon them to show up at the polls.

And vote tomorrow as they -- -- my father that's what my father of my father could speak to evangelicals today.

He would tell them it's incumbent upon them to show up and devote.

That is what we're hearing from many many Catholic priests.

And other ministers from the pulpit Tony Perkins in in -- -- Sunday mass since Sunday services.

Across the country that the churches -- -- seem seeming.

Without saying go vote for Mitt Romney could to come out and say you know wolf for life vote for the principles that you talk about in church is this.

Is this make a difference to our.

-- no question about it and I would say to Michael that his father's is speaking to the evangelicals in fact yesterday when I spoke at a church outside of -- I quoted his father.

From a speech he made in Dallas in 1984 where he said if we ever cease to be one nation under god.

We will -- To be a nation will be a nation gone under.

And in fact that's the sense people realize with the hostility.

And I also quoted death from the Democratic Convention that you played earlier.

Where they voted got off the a political -- and they may find themselves stranded as a result because people are.

Realizing what this is about.

And I think evangelicals at the polling is showing it I'm seeing it as we've Criss cross the country 28 states now a lot of time here in the swing states.

Evangelicals are energized beyond what I have ever seen in my political.

Career which has been almost twenty years now -- why.

I think it's it's him it's.

Driven primarily by the current but the administration's policies that are hostile to religion in the Catholic Church coming out so.

Boldly.

Giving voter guides out in the mass yesterday and over the weekend.

Focusing on this this mandate that has come down as a result of obamacare that's a clear infringement upon religious freedom.

-- the president talks about the freedom of worship.

But Americans and evangelicals care about the freedom of religion worships what's -- what's is what happens you know an hour a week religion is that freedom of religion -- ability to live your life according.

-- to the teachings -- your faith and they see that is under attack by this president.

Michael some may find that surprising because.

Many people believed that that -- the folks on the left for a trying to make an issue of Mitt Romney's Mormon faith and try to -- -- The rest of you know the Christian -- From Mormon -- some some house.

Well I think -- tried to do that they did not work.

And I think the Christian community evangelicals finally figured out -- about electing a president -- -- about.

You know nominating or electing a pastor to your church just about the country this is about the soul.

Of the United States America I would suggest people go home tonight and go on YouTube and find a time for choosing given by my dad talked about a Rondo who would definitely.

He's talking about the soul of America.

At tomorrow's election I think evangelicals get it's about the soul of America -- my father.

What the concerned about the politics so much negative concerned about short remembers sitting what my father.

At at at dinner with the family one time we had Ron and pat -- -- an atheist.

And it was televised atheism and my dad reached over he grabbed my hand.

Anything you know I'm not concerned about -- politics I'm concerned about his soul -- hoping accept Christ like I have a new app.

That's -- my father was concerned about tomorrow it is about the soul of America.

You know Tony that evangelicals for whatever reason did not come -- for John McCain back in 2008 they -- they did for president George W.

Bush in particular 2004 when gay marriage was on a lot of the state ballots.

But you know that it we're told that it could be any place for one point six million to six million.

Voters were talking about on the evangelical vote including critical look at numbers in states like Florida Ohio Colorado.

And Virginia if these folks are getting ready to offer some sort of groundswell of support for Mitt Romney tomorrow.

Do you believe that's being reflected in the polls that are showing this is a razor tight race.

Not necessarily because -- -- -- talks or earlier today the -- them -- from the model.

The modeling their most polling firms are using.

Are are based upon the VOA turnout and I think what what I'm saying on the ground here in Ohio for instance our values -- been in 28 states over the last fourteen months.

70000 miles we've racked up and we've registered over a close to 500000.

Half million new values voters.

In Ohio in particular about 340.

Thousand.

Evangelical social conservatives did not show up in 2008 who voted in 2004.

And being on the ground here in Ohio.

I can tell you more activity is going on in this election that actually happened in 2004.

I would not be surprised to see the evangelical social conservative turnout eclipse what we saw in 2004.

Rob and low because of it's not a question they asked the voters -- so it will will find out to attest to some extent what the evangelical presences.

Tomorrow night guys thank you both so much Tony Michael all the best to you.

Think -- -- well with voters.

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