Rick Santorum's sudden rise in the Iowa
polls has the state's most vocal anti-gay marriage leader bragging
about his endorsement, POLITICO.COM
reported.
Bob Vander Plaats, who heads the
Christian conservative group The Family Leader, gave his personal
endorsement to Santorum last week.
Vander Plaats is best known for leading
last year's successful campaign to oust three of the seven Iowa
Supreme Court judges who overturned the state's ban on gay marriage
in 2009.
Santorum, along with Minnesota Rep.
Michele Bachmann and Texas Governor Rick Perry, signed the group's
controversial 14-point anti-gay marriage pledge, which asks each
presidential candidate to “vigorously” oppose marriage equality,
be faithful to his or her own spouse, vow to protect women and
children from pornography and reject Sharia law because it is a “form
of totalitarian control.”
An NBC News/Marist poll shows Santorum
climbing to third place in Iowa behind Mitt Romney and Ron Paul.
Vander Plaats took credit for the
strong showing in a press release on Thursday.
“Eight days ago, Bob Vander Plaats,
President & CEO of The FAMiLY LEADER, and Chuck Hurley, President
of Iowa Family Policy Center, both personally endorsed Santorum at a
press conference. They pledged to devote their time and energy to
promote and support Rick Santorum as candidate for the Republican
presidential nomination.”
Vander Plaats added: “Since that
press conference, everywhere I go, the talk is about Santorum. The
buzz I've been hearing and the pulse of the voters all indicate a
come-from-behind surprise victory for Rick Santorum on January 3rd.
Conservative voters are definitely beginning to coalesce around Rick
Santorum.”
(Related: Rick
Santorum: Bob Vander Plaats asked for money to promote endorsement.)