Leading Republicans are insisting at a social conservative conference in Washington D.C. that America's leaders must do more to defend Christian values at home and abroad.
U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas blamed President Barack Obama for attacks on religious freedom as they courted social conservatives expected to play a critical role in the next presidential contest.
Organizers said more than 1,000 evangelical leaders are attending the conference, designed to mobilize religious conservative voters ahead of the upcoming midterm elections and the 2016 presidential contest.
There was little talk of abortion or marriage equality on the main stage in the conservative conference on Thursday, however. Rubio and Cruz largely sidestepped direct mention of lightning-rod issues in favor of less-controversial themes.
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