DeSantis looks to peel off evangelical vote from Trump

[mystery-ak]

 DeSantis looks to peel off evangelical vote from Trump
by Julia Manchester - 06/03/23 6:00 AM ET

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) is seeking to peel away evangelical Christian support from former President Trump as the group is set to play a pivotal role in the 2024 Republican primary.

The competition for the voting bloc was on full display this week in Iowa, where DeSantis held his campaign launch at Eternity Church in Clive. The Florida governor’s moves come as as some evangelicals have criticized Trump’s stance on abortion.

“He appointed three Supreme Court justices that led to the overturning of Roe v. Wade, but since that time, his stance on the sanctity of human life has been unclear. It’s been very nuanced,” Bob Vander Plaats, an Iowa evangelical political activist who endorsed Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) in 2016, told The Hill on NewsNation earlier this week. “I think what voters want to hear is clarity on that issue. Not nuance.”

And DeSantis’ allies are taking note. On Thursday, the pro-DeSantis super PAC Never Back Down rolled out an ad in Iowa hitting Trump for saying last month that the six-month ban on most abortions that DeSantis signed into law in Florida was “too harsh.”

“The pro-life community expects better than that,” Vander Plaats is heard saying in the spot.

more
https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4032545-desantis-trump-evangelical-voters/

[mountaineer]

For the umpteenth time (not that we expect the libs at The Hill to grasp this), we evangelicals are not a monolithic block of voters, incapable of free choice. We make our own decisions.

[Maj. Bill Martin]

For the umpteenth time (not that we expect the libs at The Hill to grasp this), we evangelicals are not a monolithic block of voters, incapable of free choice. We make our own decisions.

Sure. But obviously, the stance the candidates take on issues that evangelicals tend to find important may impact who individual evangelicals choose to support.

[mountaineer]

Sure. But obviously, the stance the candidates take on issues that evangelicals tend to find important may impact who individual evangelicals choose to support.

Obviously. But first I'll wait to hear what each of them has to say - and what kind of example he or she sets.

[libertybele]

Obviously. But first I'll wait to hear what each of them has to say - and what kind of example he or she sets.

Trump said he's not debating, so we'll be able to hear from the others.  What example he or she sets is of course important as well.  We see the example Trump is setting so far and it's not a very likeable one -- just my opinion.