Pardon me, but have you seen my Republican Party lately? I don’t recognize it anywhere.

My mom worked for Barry Goldwater as she carried me in her womb, Ronald Reagan was elected Governor of my home state of California when I was two years old, and I’ve believed in the principles of Goldwater and Reagan all my life.

But given the surge of the “Huckabee for President” campaign, it would seem that many Republicans have abandoned Reagan’s vision in favor of something more reminiscent of President Carter.

As a former Governor, Huckabee has a less-than-conservative track record on a wide range of crucial policy issues, from taxation to immigration to judicial appointments. But Huckabee speaks fluently about Jesus Christ, and theology, and for some people this is apparently all that matters.

And this is why I’m confused. How can so many members of the Republican Party be so quick to abandon the principles of Ronald Reagan?

Huckabee is an anathema to the political conservative movement, a movement that has existed as long as I’ve been alive. But he also poses challenges for another group that has existed for most of my life - - the religious social conservatives.

While making the case for its own policy ideas, the “Christian Right,” as it is sometimes called, has always maintained that attending church regularly and studying the Bible does not disqualify one from participating in our politics. I have always agreed with this assertion, and have been fully supportive of it.

But now we have a presidential candidate who is saying something quite different. By both implicit and explicit means, Huckabee has been conveying that his Evangelical Christianity - - his personal faith, his having attended a Bible college, and his status as an ordained Pastor - - qualify him to be President! This is problematic for the presumed “leaders” of the religious social conservative movement, on at least a couple of accounts. Continued...