The New York Times reports that national conservative Christian leaders are waiting until after the South Carolina primary on January 21 to coalesce around a “not-Romney” Republican candidate. Those leaders are meeting in Texas this weekend to discuss the race. Here’s more from the Times:
“Any talk of winnowing out the field is premature until after South Carolina,” said Richard Land, the president of the public policy arm of the Southern Baptist Convention. “The best thing that can happen for social conservatives is for one candidate to get a very clear mandate from South Carolina voters. If that happens, you might be able to get a consensus that makes a difference.”
Mr. Land, heeding the request of the meeting’s conveners, said he would “neither confirm nor deny” his plans to attend. The meeting, billed as a private discussion, has drawn intense national attention as Mr. Romney tries to sew up the Republican nomination. He is opposed by many evangelicals who question the depth of his opposition to abortion and same-sex marriage and his fidelity to fiscal conservatism.
UPDATE: Jonathan Martin at Politico reports that the group is supporting Rick Santorum:
Of 114 votes cast, Santorum won 85. Newt Gingrich took the remainder.
In a remarkable slap in his home state, Rick Perry didn’t even make it past the first ballot, Perkins said.
Santorum backers were already taking to Twitter in the moments after Perkins announced the decision to tout the news. The former Pennsylvania senator, largely absent from the political conversation since finishing well behind Mitt Romney in New Hampshire and staying out of the Bain debate, is badly in need of a lift. In that sense, the endorsement is well-timed.
