Religious Conservatives Meeting In Texas Back Santorum

At a ranch near Brenham, Texas, today a gathering of 150 leading religious and social conservatives agreed on Rick Santorum as their consensus choice for the Republican presidential nomination. The Dallas Morning News reports that on the third ballot Santorum received 85 of the 114 votes cast. Family Research Council head Tony Perkins, speaking for the group, said: "There was this unanimous agreement to replace Barack Obama. And the consensus that emerged here was that Santorum was the best to do that." Perkins said that in the speeches and discussion, there was little reference to Romney's Mormon beliefs. Rick Perry, in whose home state the meeting was held, failed to even make the second ballot. (See prior related posting.)