Gary Bauer

I have come to the conclusion that while a candidate’s faith matters, what’s most important is how he or she applies that faith.

The question Americans should ask is not whether a candidate is affiliated with a particular faith but rather whether that candidate’s faith makes it more likely he or she will support policies that align with their values.

It’s important to ask candidates about their beliefs, in part because politicians frequently exploit religious faith – often with the idea that voters will be more likely to unthinkingly accept certain political positions so long as they arise from religious belief.

Republican values – strong families, faith, personal responsibility and freedom, among others – are not unique to specific subsets of the electorate. They are universal values, and it is Republicans’ job to remind Americans of that fact.

For the record, I believe elected officials should talk about faith. Our founders believed the moral principles of faith were indispensable to our nation’s survival. The Declaration of Independence mentions God four times.