Conservative Christian PAC won't compromise to endorse Branstad

The Iowa Family PAC isn't looking for biblical perfection, but the organization of Christian conservatives is looking for a champion.

So far, neither former Gov. Terry Branstad nor incumbent Gov. Chet Culver measure up.

After nearly a week of calls for “blind partisan unity” from Republicans, the Iowa Family PAC June 14 made clear it will not support Branstad, the GOP nominee, unless he aligns himself more closely with the political arm of the conservative Iowa Family Policy Center.

If Branstad wants the group's endorsement, “he will commit to uphold the Biblical principle of individual responsibility, recognize family as the foundational unit for a stable social structure, boldly defend the sanctity of human life and of marriage, commit to limiting the size and cost of civil government, promote high quality education under the authority of parents, encourage an ethical free enterprise system, and defend the Constitutional separation of powers,” said, Iowa Family Policy Center Action Board Chairman Danny Carroll.

That might sound like a description of Branstad, who signed the state Defense of Marriage Act that prohibits same-sex marriage, is pro-life, has called for slashing the size and cost of state government, and actively backed home schooling.

However, Carroll said, to many conservative Christians, Branstad is “a familiar name, someone who can raise money and has a pretty good chance of beating Culver.” That's outweighed by his “reluctance to take a strong position.”

That's code for Branstad's refusal to agree to sign an executive order staying the Iowa Supreme Court decision allowing same-sex marriage. GOP hopeful Bob Vander Plaats, who the Iowa Family PAC endorsed, promised to stay that decision immediately after being inaugurated.

The Branstad campaign, which said the four-term Republican governor has been getting enthusiastic crowds at appearances around the state since the June 8 primary, conceded it won't get every endorsement.

“While some special interests will endorse us, and others may support someone else, we are working very hard to earn the support of every Iowan we can in order to ensure success in November,” spokesman Tim Albrecht said. “Ultimately, it is the endorsement of Iowans at the ballot box on Nov. 2 that will help Terry Branstad win the governor's office.”

Simply being better than the alternative – Culver, a first-term Democrat who supports same-sex marriage and abortion, is not reason enough for the Iowa Family PAC to compromise, Carroll said.

“I've been there and done that,” the 11-term Iowa legislator said. “Yet here we are today with a federal government that appears to be hopelessly in debt, a state that is well toward $1 billion in deficit, supreme courts that continue to undermine separation of powers, uphold abortion on demand and erode marriage.

“Incrementalism is not getting us where we need to be,” Carroll said. “It just seems like at some point we've got to take a stand and say we're not compromising any further.”