- otus
- May 15, 2012
AC
Mitt Romney could ease the concerns of conservative religious leaders who backed his rivals in the Republican primaries by selecting a strong social conservative to be his running mate, says Family Research Council President Tony Perkins. "I think Mitt Romney is going to need help," Perkins told Yahoo News in an interview, noting that Romney's commencement address at Liberty University was a positive step. "He's going to have to make it a focal point of his campaign that he's connected with social conservatives....The best way for him to do that it with a VP pick that they can identify with." During the Republican primaries, Perkins joined a group of influential social conservatives, including Focus on the Family founder James Dobson and Gary Bauer of American Values, in endorsing Rick Santorum over Romney. Even though Mitt Romney has effectively captured the Republican nomination, Perkins suggested that misgivings remain. "You look at Mitt Romney, his record as...