Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council, made an early attempt to unite fellow Christian Leaders to get behind one presidential campaign. On Dec. 7th he arranged a secret meeting, but no consensus was to emerge on that day.
Since the Dec. 7 meeting, endorsements have been announced by influential figures such as James Dobson, a radio host who founded Focus on the Family; Brian Brown of the National Organization for Marriage; and Bob Vander Plaats, head of the Iowa Family Leader organization.
Tom Hamburger of the Washington Post says the next gathering will take place a few days after Christmas at a remote ranch in central Texas, where Cruz, his wife and several key financial backers will visit with some of the country’s most prominent evangelical leaders for private conversations and a public rally.
Some of the 100 or so leaders flying to the ranch owned by conservative billionaire Farris Wilks are still considering other candidates, including Sen. Marco Rubio (Fla.), who also is maneuvering to be the Trump alternative. But in recent weeks, Cruz has outpaced his rivals in the race to line up religious conservative support.
This timeline is a nearly identical chronology to the 2012 bolstering of the Santorum Campaign. Reports say that in 2012, only one holdout at that gathering was insistant that Gingrich should be the endorsed candidate of the Evangelicals. That holdout was Don Wildmon of the American Family Association, according to most narratives.
The Huffington Post reported at the time:
Since the Dec. 7 meeting, endorsements have been announced by influential figures such as James Dobson, a radio host who founded Focus on the Family; Brian Brown of the National Organization for Marriage; and Bob Vander Plaats, head of the Iowa Family Leader organization.
December 28th
Some of the 100 or so leaders flying to the ranch owned by conservative billionaire Farris Wilks are still considering other candidates, including Sen. Marco Rubio (Fla.), who also is maneuvering to be the Trump alternative. But in recent weeks, Cruz has outpaced his rivals in the race to line up religious conservative support.
This timeline is a nearly identical chronology to the 2012 bolstering of the Santorum Campaign. Reports say that in 2012, only one holdout at that gathering was insistant that Gingrich should be the endorsed candidate of the Evangelicals. That holdout was Don Wildmon of the American Family Association, according to most narratives.
The Huffington Post reported at the time:
" The group of religious conservative leaders met on Friday and Saturday at the Brenham ranch of former judge and Southern Baptist leader Paul Pressler. The assemblage did not release a full list of its members, although radio host James Dobson, Don Wildmon of the American Family Association and pastor Jon Hagee were among the invited.
The Pressler Ranch was the setting of a 2012 secret meeting
of national Evangelical Leaders
Santorum emerged as the winner after three rounds of balloting, with the final vote between him and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich. Santorum eventually received the support of more than two-thirds of those voting. Texas Gov. Rick Perry also received strong support."
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