Religious Right Backs Santorum As Anti-Romney

Leaders of the religious far right have anointed Rick Santorum as their chosen anti-Romney candidate.

An alliance of 150 conservative Christian groups announced on Saturday that Santorum had emerged from their meeting as their candidate.

Anti-gay activist Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council announced the decision, indicating that he didn’t originally believe that a consensus choice would ever materialize from the group. South Carolina is widely seen as the stronghold of the religious right within the Republican party.

Many religious conservatives that they have misgivings about Romney’s previous pro-choice record and his Mormon religious affiliation.

Santorum famously claimed that gay marriage would eventually lead to bestiality. [Reuters]