Conservadores sociales se organizan para el Caucus de Iowa

Bob Vander Plaats, aliado clave de Huckabee en Iowa, está organizando un consorcio de grupos conservadores sociales para jugar un papel activo en el caucus republicano de 2012. Vander Plaats fue candidato a Gobernador este año pero perdió la primaria republicana por poco frente al ahora Gobernador-electo Terry Branstad (aliado de Romney). Después de eso montó una agresiva campaña contra tres jueces liberales del Tribunal Supremo de Iowa y los tres fueron derrotados el pasado 2 de noviembre. El éxito de la campaña contra los jueces ha convertido al personaje en un héroe en los círculos conservadores de Iowa.

Huckabee estará el domingo en Iowa en un acto organizado precisamente por Vander Plaats.

(...) Former Republican candidate for governor Bob Vander Plaats will lead a reorganized conservative policy and political advocacy group aimed in part at becoming an influential player in the campaign for Iowa’s 2012 Republican presidential caucuses.

Vander Plaats, who led a campaign to oust three Iowa Supreme Court justices in the Nov. 2 election, said Monday he will become president and chief executive officer of an umbrella group that includes the Iowa Family Policy Center, Marriage Matters and their political action committee.

Vander Plaats of Sioux City gives the new coalition of socially conservative groups a familiar face as it is plans a more influential role in the caucus campaign than four years ago, including offering its endorsement for the first time.

“We are going to be very engaged in the 2012 cycle. We believe it is our responsibility and our duty to be actively involved in taking a look at the candidates, vetting the candidates and then either recommending a candidate or candidates for consideration by the people who support us,” Vander Plaats told The Des Moines Register during an interview. The new group’s name, The Family Leader, is expected to be adopted today at the Iowa Family Policy Center’s board meeting.

The new organization, and Vander Plaats’ role, will be formally announced Sunday at the Iowa Family Policy Center’s annual fundraiser in Des Moines. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, the winner of the 2008 caucuses, is scheduled to speak at the event at First Federated Church, 4801 Franklin Ave. (...)