DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Republican presidential hopefuls emphasized their staunch opposition to gay marriage and abortion rights Saturday before a crowd of social conservatives who hold significant sway in the state’s leadoff presidential caucuses.
Nine declared and prospective 2016 candidates appeared in a church in Waukee for a forum sponsored by the conservative Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition and attended by more than 1,000 people. The forum gave candidates an opportunity to show off their conservative bona fides, with speeches on religious freedom and social issues that repeatedly brought the crowd to its feet.
Texas Sen. Ted Cruz noted that the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in four states’ same-sex marriage cases on Tuesday and said that between now and then, conservatives must “fall to our knees and pray.”
“We need leaders who will stand unapologetically in defense of marriage and life,” Cruz said in remarks that drew huge applause.
On abortion, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul encouraged conservatives to be more aggressive in their opposition to late term procedures, saying: “I’m tired of us retreating on this issue and I’m going to push back.”