Within days of Focus on the Family founder James Dobson endorsing Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee, his conservative colleague Gary Bauer has put his support behind GOP candidate Sen. John McCain. In his Monday statement, Bauer spoke of McCain’s “consistent 24-year pro-life record” as well as his ability to defeat “radical Islamic extremism.”

Bauer, a former GOP presidential candidate, used to serve as president of the Family Research Council, which spun off from Dobson’s Focus on the Family. At least in this race, Dobson and his protege are going separate ways at the voting booth.

McCain announced Tuesday that other “family issues leaders” in Virginia are also supporting his campaign. His news release list names such as Joseph Cella, founder of the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast, and Shannon Royce, former executive director of the Arlington Group.