The first ever values voter presidential debate was held Sept. 17 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., but without the four Republican presidential candidate front-runners in attendance. Mitt Romney, John McCain, Fred Thompson and Rudy Giuliani all said they could not attend due to scheduling conflicts, reported the Associated Press (AP). “They will regret the decision,” Janet Folger, president of Faith2Action and a member of the debate host committee, told the AP. “Because they snubbed us, they will not win because we will not follow their lead.” Despite the absence of the GOP’s most prominent candidates, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee was declared the winner in the values voter straw poll, receiving nearly five times the votes as the other candidates. “Unlike other straw polls where candidates have bussed in supporters or paid for their tickets, 40 national leaders chose hundreds of delegates who accurately represent America’s largest voting block,” said Mat Staver, chairmen of Liberty Counsel, and values voter debate committee member. “This is the most important straw poll yet.”
