Jerry Falwell Jr., right, stands with Donald Trump during an apperance at Liberty University earlier this month. | Getty Christian leaders balk at Falwell's Trump endorsement 'The late Dr. Jerry Falwell Sr. would be rolling over in his grave,' one social conservative leader warns.

Jerry Falwell Jr.’s endorsement of Donald Trump on Tuesday was swiftly met with a backlash from other Christian conservatives sounding the alarm about what they see as a dangerous candidate with questionable morals.

While the official backing of Trump wasn’t a big surprise — Falwell had heaped praise on Trump last week when he spoke at Liberty University — it came during a fraught time, as many are waking up to the real possibility that Trump could win Iowa next week and embark on a glide path to the nomination.


John Stemberger, president of the Florida Family Policy Council, invoked Falwell’s dad, the founder of Liberty University, in his warning, saying the elder Falwell would be aghast at the Republican poll leader.

“The late Dr. Jerry Falwell Sr. would be rolling over in his grave if he knew the son who bore his name had endorsed the most immoral and ungodly man to ever run for President of the United States,” Stemberger said in a statement provided to POLITICO. “It is one thing to allow the free exchange of ideas, even bad ideas, among college students on a Christian campus. It is quite another to give a glowing endorsement-like introduction calling Donald Trump ... This in no way represents the legacy of Dr. Jerry Falwell, Sr.”

Penny Nance, CEO and president of Concerned Women for America, a conservative coalition that describes itself as promoting Biblical values, said she “strongly” disagrees with the endorsement.

Nance, who graduated from Liberty and currently has a daughter there, told POLITICO that she loves the school and respects Falwell, but said, “I have deep concerns about Donald Trump’s commitment to life and his respect for women.”

She signed on to an open letter from a number of social conservative leaders addressed to Iowa voters on Tuesday that pleaded, “As pro-life women leaders from Iowa and across the nation, we urge Republican caucus-goers and voters to support anyone but Donald Trump.

Nance told POLITICO that while Christianity is about forgiveness and while they are always happy for people to switch their views from pro-abortion rights to anti-abortion rights, Trump’s lack of explanation on certain views concerns her.



“Ronald Reagan changed his mind on abortion. We appreciate and want people to change their minds if they’re not pro-life but unfortunately when asked deeper questions he has been unable and unwilling to specify some really key issues like judges,” Nance said. She pointed to the fact that Trump said his that his sister, who is a senior judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit, would be a “phenomenal” choice for the Supreme Court, with Nance noting that “she’s extremely pro-abortion.”

Falwell’s endorsement of Trump came as he gains traction with evangelical voters, a crucial constituency in Iowa, despite his shifting record on abortion rights, and his bombastic statements about his bible collection. Trump, who is an avowed Presbyterian, has made more of a showing in recent months of attending church and playing up his religious views.

There are signs it’s paying off. A new NBC News/Survey Monkey weekly online tracking poll out Tuesday shows that Trump has 37 percent of the support of evangelicals, nearly double Texas Sen. Ted Cruz's 20 percent.

Falwell, in a statement on Tuesday, spoke effusively of Trump. “I am proud to offer my endorsement of Donald J. Trump for President of the United States. He is a successful executive and entrepreneur, a wonderful father and a man who I believe can lead our country to greatness again.”

It followed the glowing words Falwell delivered last week at Liberty. When introducing Trump at the event, Falwell said that the school did not endorse candidates and pointed to speakers from both sides of the aisle who had appeared. But he then heaped on the praise. “In my opinion, Donald Trump lives a life of loving and helping others as Jesus taught in the great commandment,” he said.

“He cannot be bought, he's not a puppet on a string like many other candidates ... who have wealthy donors as their puppet masters,” he said. “And that is a key reason why so many voters are attracted to him.”

Trump warmly embraced the endorsement. “It is truly an honor to receive Jerry’s endorsement. Not only is he a high quality person, with a wonderful family, whom I have great respect for – I also consider him a very good friend and his support means so much to me,” he said in a statement.

But others responded with great concern. Prominent evangelical leader Russell Moore started his warnings last week, sending out a series of tweets condemning Falwell's comments when he introduced Trump.



"Trading in the gospel of Jesus Christ for political power is not liberty but slavery," one tweet said. "Evangelicals can love a golden calf, as long as Aaron promises to make Mexico pay for it," another read.

On Tuesday he took to social media again to make his point, retweeting a tweet from Jewish magazine Commentary editor John Podhoretz that said, "I'm working on a theory-we're here b/c we're two generations into cable era. Before then, reception was lousy, so you had to read a little." Moore followed with a tweet of his own directed at Podhoretz in which he commented, "exactly."

And even while Trump was boasting about the support of Falwell, he was busy alienating another who has thrown his support behind Cruz. Trump dedicated a good portion of his Twitter energy on Tuesday to Bob Vander Plaats, the CEO of the social conservative organization The Family Leader.



"Why doesn't phony @bobvanderplaats tell his followers all the times he asked for him and his family to stay at my hotels-didn't like paying," Trump tweeted, following with,"@bobvanderplaats begged me to do an event while asking organizers for $100,000 for himself—a bad guy!" a couple hours later.

Vander Plaats was asked about the tweets by Wolf Blitzer on CNN Tuesday.

“That’s Trump being Trump, his friendship comes with strings," Vander Plaats said. “He was very insistent to me and my wife in regards to a couple times we went to New York. Make sure you stay at my place, I’ll put you up and all that. But what bothers him is I’m not willing to give him my endorsement over that. “



“I still consider Donald Trump a friend because my friendship doesn’t come with strings,” he added, saying that the attacks were a sign Trump was "desperate" because he "sees he's probably going to lose Iowa.” Vander Plaats wouldn't commit to voting for Trump if he is the Republican nominee.