I’ve been reviewing Mitt Romney’s campaign for a paper John Green and I are giving on Romney and the evangelicals at the upcoming annual meeting of the American Academy of Religion in Chicago, and was reminded that, in fact, a lot of old dogs of the religious right were geared up to have Romney as the GOP nominee this time around. Not that Dobson, Land, and Reed actually endorsed him, but they did what they could to stick the shiv into Mike Huckabee, and made it clear that the Mittster was just fine with them. He had come calling, tugged the forelock, and assumed all the right social conservative positions. He looked like a moderate, had the chops to enlist the economic conservatives, and if he was rather vague on foreign policy, he’d tell the neocons what they wanted to hear too. The only problem was that the evangelical rank and file weren’t buying–at least, not with Huck out on the hustings.
So when, as Jonathan Martin is reporting on Politico, the various con elites get together for their now not-so-secret Virginia confab right after the election, it should not be assumed that the paladins of the religious right will be carrying the torch for Sister Sarah. As much as they love her, and would cherish using her as their woman in the White House in a McCain administration, they’ll know she’s toxic in the country at large. What they will want, as always, is someone they they can trust on their issues but who won’t scare the horses. Mitt is somewhat tarnished but the best they’ve got for now. After four years of Obama, a Mormon won’t look so bad to the rank and file. I’d keep my eye on him.