The Great Courtship

CONS: Evangelicals are skeptical of Romney's Mormon faith, but it's his alleged flip-flops that could really hurt. In his 1994 Senate and 2002 gubernatorial bids, Romney supported abortion rights and gay rights, positions he reversed as he prepared for a White House run. Last week Sam Brownback's campaign questioned his credibility.

THE TRUE BELIEVERS Sam Brownback and Mike Huckabee

PROS: No two candidates are more widely respected among social conservatives than Brownback and Huckabee. In the Senate, Brownback has been praised as one of the Christian right's most dependable allies. The Kansas senator championed legislation for a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage. He is staunchly against abortion and has said he would work to overturn Roe v. Wade if he wins the White House. Huckabee, meanwhile, is a Southern Baptist minister by training who signed legislation to tighten abortion laws and ban same-sex marriage when he was governor of Arkansas. Both men have strong ties to the leaders on the right and are campaigning to be the candidate of the GOP conservative base.

CONS: They are long-shot candidates in a year where the desire to win the White House could force evangelicals to support a nominee whose conservative credentials are less than impeccable.

THE DIVORCÉ Rudy Giuliani

PROS: There aren't many. Social conservatives are impressed by Giuliani's handling of 9/11 and its aftermath. They like his support for President Bush's troop surge in Iraq. Many on the right even begrudgingly admit that Giuliani likely has what it takes to win against a Democrat such as Hillary Clinton. But those are about the only nice things they have to say about him. One bright spot: Giuliani will address business leaders at Regent University in April.