2012 presidential hopefuls Tim Pawlenty, left, and Rick Santorum cross campaign paths and shake hands on April 15 in Concord, N.H. (AP Images/Jim Cole) |
Republican presidential candidates former Minnesota Gov. Tim
Pawlenty and former Sen. Rick Santorum (Pa.) are set to participate
in a “Values Voter Bus Tour” next week, which will lead up to the
Ames Straw Poll on Aug. 13.
“The Values Bus Tour will speak to the views held by millions of
American voters who want to make sure that issues impacting the
family and the broader culture are understood and addressed by each
of the candidates,” Family Research Council President Tony Perkins
says. “The race is clearly wide open. Values voters will be closely
watching next week’s events as they determine which of the candidates
are willing to do what it takes once elected to restore fiscal
sanity, protect marriage, safeguard religious liberty and protect the
rights of the unborn.”
The Family Research Council, the National Organization for
Marriage and the Susan B. Anthony List have organized the four-day tour, which
will pass through 47 of Iowa’s 99 counties with events in 22 cities.
“The Values Voter Bus Tour is designed to get the word out to
straw poll and caucus-goers regarding which presidential candidates
can be counted on as strong and vocal leaders for women and unborn
children,” explains Marjorie
Dannenfelser,
president
of the Susan B. Anthony List.
The current front-runner to win the straw poll, Republican Sen.
Michele Bachmann, is also expected to join the tour, along with other
GOP presidential candidates. Faith Family Freedom Fund Chairman
Connie Mackey will kick off the tour on Tuesday.
U.S. Reps. Steve King (R-IA) and Louie Gohmert (R-TX) will also
join Perkins, Musgrave, National Organization for Marriage President
Brian Brown, and other state and national leaders.
“NOM is committed to ensuring that the next president is a
strong and committed supporter of traditional marriage and will
commit his or her administration to vigorously defending marriage in
the courts, Congress and in the court of public opinion,”
Brown comments. “We look forward to playing an extremely
active role in encouraging the people of Iowa, including our tens of
thousands of supporters, to make a difference in selecting an
unambiguously pro-marriage candidate in Iowa.”
