Thoughts on the Candidates

The following is simply the personal thoughts of Rusty Hayes and not an official statement on behalf of any church or denomination.
Recently, I was asked by a major conservative campaign consultant which candidate I favored in the election. My answer at the time was that I wasn't comfortable with any of them for the following reasons:
Romney: Mormonism. I'm not crazy about the fact that Romney is a Mormon because Mormon theology teaches that man can become God. I'm not comfortable with any candidate who believes that I could, conceivably, become a god over my own planet. While I have tremendous respect for the lifestyles of many Mormons and don't necessarily believe that having a Mormon as the President would be a disaster, I prefer to have someone in the office who holds to a theology that recognizes God as THE only wise God, unique in His glory and deity.
Gingrich: Unfaithfulness. While I think Speaker Gingrich may be the smartest and most savvy politician in the room, I have to be honest. His infidelity is troublesome to me. It makes it difficult for me to trust him fully. I also have a hard time with the idea of a first lady being the first lady due to an affair she had with her husband that wrecked his previous marriage. Now, to be fair, I've been on the phone with Speaker Gingrich twice on a conference call. The first time was when he was leading a charge to deter Iran from their nuclear program. The second time was more recently when I took part in a call with other pastors in which he described the mistakes he made in his previous marriages. He was genuinely moving and repentant. I respect that and I respect him. I've also heard some wonderful things about his wife. In addition, I also understand that marriages usually fall apart due to many other factors. But in the office of President, I still feel uneasy with what happened the last time he was in office. Not trying to be judgmental, just being real.
Paul: Not much to say here except Ron Paul feels very liberal to me on a number of issues, especially his support of abortion. He seems naive about the threat of Iran as well.
Santorum: Perhaps Santorum is the candidate we've all been looking for. Initially, I didn't think he had a chance. His poll numbers were so low that it seemed he was campaigning for the Vice Presidency or a future talk-show gig instead of the Presidency. But he has risen in the polls dramatically and has a strong appeal to Evangelicals. He's been faithful to his wife, is sensitive to childhood disorders (has a child with one), has 8 kids, is very pro-life, is a fiscal conservative, and is a man of faith in the God of the Bible, Jesus Christ. I'm a little uncomfortable with his style at times since he can come across as adversarial. He is also a Roman Catholic, which could be problematic if the Roman Catholic Church ever takes a political position contrary to Evangelical theology (for example, most Evangelicals are not opposed to certain types of birth control within marriage that the RCC discourages).
Obama: Contrary to many of my Evangelical brothers, I do not believe Obama is the Antichrist. I recently had lunch with a well-respected African American Pastor and he affirmed Obama's Christian faith and noble motives. I happen to think President Obama is a decent man who genuinely cares about the poor. He's also faithful to his wife and a good father. But his position on abortion as well as other moral issues are hurdles I cannot cross. I also worry about his fiscal discipline.
Regardless of who wins, my prayers will be in this process. Ultimately, I don't believe our nation's future is in the hands of politicians. My hope and prayer is that revival will break out in the U.S. and draw us all back to the Lord. In the meantime, an election is coming and whoever wins will need our prayers.