NOM BLOG

Iowa Family Leader Introduces Marriage and Family Pledge for 2012 Candidates

 

From the Des Moines Register:

The Family Leader, a prominent Iowa group that promotes Christian conservative social values, said Thursday it is asking all presidential candidates to sign a pledge regarding their personal convictions on traditional marriage.

The pledge is entitled, “The Marriage Vow – A Declaration of Dependence upon Marriage and Family.”

The organization’s chief executive officer is Bob Vander Plaats, a conservative evangelical leader who was the state chair of Mike Huckabee’s Republican presidential campaign when he won the 2008 Iowa Caucuses. Vander Plaats said the Family Leader will not support any candidate who declines to sign the pledge.

“If you are looking at being a leader of our great country….we would like to have you pledge personal fidelity to your own spouse and a respect for the marital bonds of others,” Vander Plaats told reporters at a news conference on the steps of the Iowa Statehouse.

... Presidential candidates who sign the pledge must agree to personal fidelity to his or her spouse, the appointment of “faithful constitutionalists” as judges, opposition to any redefinition of marriage, and prompt reform of uneconomic and anti-marriage aspects of welfare policy, tax policy and divorce law.

The Marriage Vow also outlines support for the legal advocacy for the federal Defense of Marriage Act, humane efforts to protect women and children, rejection of Sharia Islam, safeguards for all married and unmarried U.S. military service members, and commitment to downsizing government and the burden upon American families.

In addition, candidates are asked to recognize that “robust childrearing and reproduction is beneficial to U.S. demographic, economic, strategic and actuarial health and security.”

Michele Bachmann was the first to sign the pledge. [Update: Rick Santorum is second to sign.] Tim Pawlenty is reviewing the pledge, a spokesman said. Jon Huntsman said he never signs pledges. A Ron Paul spokesman said the congressman had reservations. Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich and Herman Cain have not yet commented. A representative of President Barack Obama's democratic campaign committee declined comment.

NOM is a co-sponsor of the Presidential Lecture Series in Iowa with the Family Leader.

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