1. Republican Presidential Nominee, Mitt Romney
2. Vice Presidential Nominee, Rep. Paul Ryan
3. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee
4. Former Presidential Candidate Rick Santorum
5. Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell
Social issues may not have been the focus at this week's convention, but they weren't left out, either. Marriage was much talked-about, from "honor[ing] the institution of marriage" to "defend[ing] marriage" to "stop[ping] the assault on marriage."
"As president, I will protect the sanctity of life. I will honor the institution of marriage. And I will guarantee America's first liberty: the freedom of religion." - Mitt Romney, August 30, 2012
"Mitt and I ... go to different churches. But in any church, the best kind of preaching is done by example. ... Not only a defender of marriage, he offers an example of marriage at its best." - Rep. Paul Ryan, August 29, 2012
"Let me clear the air about whether guys like me would only support an evangelical. Of the four people on the two tickets, the only self-professed evangelical is Barack Obama, and he supports changing the definition of marriage, believes that human life is disposable and expendable at any time in the womb or even beyond the womb, and tells people of faith that they must bow their knees to the god of government and violate their faith and conscience in order to comply with what he calls health care. Friends, I know we can do better!" - Mike Huckabee, August 29, 2012
"The fact is that marriage is disappearing in places where government dependency is highest. Most single mothers do heroic work and an amazing job raising their children, but if America is going to succeed, we must stop the assault on marriage and the family. From lowering taxes to reforming social programs, Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan are dedicated to restoring the home where married moms and dads are pillars of strong communities raising good citizens." - Rick Santorum, August 29, 2012
"This platform affirms the traditional meaning of marriage and the sanctity of human life, defends religious freedom and Second Amendment rights and calls for a balanced budget amendment." - Gov. Bob McDonnell of Virginia, August 28, 2012
Chris Geidner is a reporter for BuzzFeed News and is based in Washington, DC.
Contact Chris Geidner at chris.geidner@buzzfeed.com.
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