Carly Fiorina: People of faith make better leaders

Republican presidential candidate Carly Fiorina discussed the importance of her faith during a Monday appearance at the Caucus Candidate Forum Series.

“People of faith, I believe, make better leaders,” Fiorina said during a wide-ranging conversation that also touched on her economic policies and her foreign policy opinions.

“Faith gives us humility,” she continued. “Humility is really important in a leader because it’s humility that causes a leader to say sometimes ‘I must be restrained. ... Sometimes I need to seek wisdom and counsel from others, perhaps, for example, citizens of this great nation.’ ”

Joe Bantz, of West Des Moines, said he really liked Fiorina’s answer because he feels the voice of people of faith has been marginalized over the years.

“She was right on because the reality is that faith forms a grounding for a person’s morals and opinions,” he said. “If you know that someone is a person of faith, you know that you can depend on them. You know what you will get from them.”

Fiorina also reaffirmed her support of prayer in the public square.

“Whatever god you pray to, prayer is a moment of quiet,” she said. “It’s a period of introspection, of asking for wisdom and guidance.”

“I will never ever push my faith on others,” she continued, “but I will always welcome people of every faith to remember that each of us are equal in the eyes of God, and all of us need wisdom from a higher source at some point in our lives.”

The Iowa Caucus Consortium is made up of the Greater Des Moines Convention and Visitors Bureau, Greater Des Moines Partnership, Iowa Economic Development Authority, Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs, Des Moines Register and Drake University in partnership with the Iowa Democratic Party and the Republican Party of Iowa.

SETTING: State Historical Museum auditorium.

CROWD: More than 200 people with overflow audience members standing in the aisles.

REACTION: Onlookers clapped when Fiorina declared support for Israel and affirmed her belief in public prayer.

WHAT’S NEXT: Fiorina later spoke at The Des Moines Register’s Political Soapbox at the Iowa State Fair and was scheduled to appear at the Boots & BBQ Bash in Kimballton Monday.