--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In 1980, evangelicals overwhelmingly…" description: "\"In 1980, evangelicals overwhelmingly elected a candidate who was a known womanizer when he was in Hollywood. He would be the first divorced president i..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bde/robert-jeffress-4866_candidates_in-1980-evangelicals-overwhelmingly-elec_2171436.jpg" --- # In 1980, evangelicals overwhelmingly elected a candidate… ![“In 1980, evangelicals overwhelmingly elected a candidate who was a known womanizer when he was in Hollywood. He would be the first divorced president in U.S. history. His name was Ronald Reagan. And when evangelicals voted for Reagan, they weren't endorsing womanizing. They weren't endorsing…” quote by Robert Jeffress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bde/robert-jeffress-4866_candidates_in-1980-evangelicals-overwhelmingly-elec_2171436.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bde/robert-jeffress-4866_candidates_in-1980-evangelicals-overwhelmingly-elec_2171436.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bde/robert-jeffress-4866_candidates_in-1980-evangelicals-overwhelmingly-elec_2171436.jpg) > “In 1980, evangelicals overwhelmingly elected a candidate who was a known womanizer when he was in Hollywood. He would be the first divorced president in U.S. history. His name was Ronald Reagan. And when evangelicals voted for Reagan, they weren't endorsing womanizing. They weren't endorsing divorce. They were endorsing Reagan's policies.” [Robert Jeffress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jeffress/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Evangelicals voted for Reagan for his policies, not his personal life, separating moral character from political agenda. **In simple terms:** Voters can support policies despite personal flaws. Key Takeaway Assess policies separate from personal conduct. Themes politics morality voting behavior Mood thoughtful analytical Type political ethical When to use this quote - election decisions - policy advocacy - candidate evaluation Key Concepts public choice theory ethical voting cognitive dissonance Questions to Reflect On - Can policy outweigh personal ethics? - How do you reconcile moral standards with political goals? A Different Perspective Ignoring personal flaws may erode trust. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Candidates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/candidates/) [Divorce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/divorce/) [Divorced](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/divorced/) [Endorsing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/endorsing/) [Evangelicals Voted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evangelicals-voted-4652605/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Hollywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hollywood/) [Known](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/known/) [Names](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/names/) [Policy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/policy/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reagan/) [Reagan Evangelicals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reagan-evangelicals-934453/) [Reagan Weren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reagan-weren-4652604/) [Ronald reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ronald-reagan/) [Womanizer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/womanizer/) [Would be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would-be/) ## Related quotes > [By supporting Reagan, evangelicals were not supporting womanizing or divorce, but they were endorsing Reagan's policies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jeffress/by-supporting-reagan-evangelicals-were-not-supporting-womanizing-or/) [Robert Jeffress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jeffress/) > [By voting for a candidate, we're not endorsing a particular lifestyle. We're simply voting on the issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jeffress/by-voting-for-a-candidate-we-re-not-endorsing-a-particular-lifestyle/) [Robert Jeffress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jeffress/) > [I think that's why Donald Trump continues to enjoy evangelical support. They're not endorsing necessarily his lifestyle. What they're saying is this is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jeffress/i-think-that-s-why-donald-trump-continues-to-enjoy-evangelical/) [Robert Jeffress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jeffress/) > [“After spending night with woman remember her is a fool”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucas-ryan/after-spending-night-with-woman-remember-her-is-a-fool/) [Lucas Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucas-ryan/) > [“She was little better than a banshee with a sidearm.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerrigan-byrne/she-was-little-better-than-a-banshee-with-a-sidearm/) [Kerrigan Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerrigan-byrne/) > [I've been acting a long time, and I can play a Cockney gangster or a womanizer in my sleep or standing on my head.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-caine/i-ve-been-acting-a-long-time-and-i-can-play-a-cockney-gangster-or-a/) [Michael Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-caine/) > [“He was the kind of young man whose handsome face has brought him plenty of success in the past and is now ever-ready for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/he-was-the-kind-of-young-man-whose-handsome-face-has-brought-him/) [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) > [“spending a night with woman remember her is a fool”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucas-ryan/spending-a-night-with-woman-remember-her-is-a-fool/) [Lucas Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucas-ryan/) > [“That's why he preferred young women. So much easier to impress. Although these days he often found them as rude and forthright as their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gert-loveday/that-s-why-he-preferred-young-women-so-much-easier-to-impress/) [Gert Loveday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gert-loveday/) > [“Women is like sugarcane……”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucas-ryan/women-is-like-sugarcane/) [Lucas Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucas-ryan/) > [“spending a night with woman remember her name is fool”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucas-ryan/spending-a-night-with-woman-remember-her-name-is-fool/) [Lucas Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucas-ryan/) > [“I think that the concept of "womanizer" is getting a little old these days. Back in the day, women used to sit at home…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-joybell-c/i-think-that-the-concept-of-womanizer-is-getting-a-little-old-these/) [C. JoyBell C](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-joybell-c/) > [The last thing I wanted to do was play another womanizer or ladies' man or Lothario. I've taken myself out of the running for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-hamm/the-last-thing-i-wanted-to-do-was-play-another-womanizer-or-ladies/) [Jon Hamm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-hamm/) > [I was not a womanizer; I didn't date a lot. If I kissed somebody, I was basically married from that point on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelley-long/i-was-not-a-womanizer-i-didn-t-date-a-lot-if-i-kissed-somebody-i-was/) [Shelley Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelley-long/) > [Travis is a serial womanizer. When we were together I would go through his phone and find endless messages from women he was hooking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shanna-moakler/travis-is-a-serial-womanizer-when-we-were-together-i-would-go-through/) [Shanna Moakler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shanna-moakler/) ## More by Robert Jeffress > [I'm not here trying to convince anybody to vote for Donald Trump. I think every Christian needs to make up his own mind about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jeffress/i-m-not-here-trying-to-convince-anybody-to-vote-for-donald-trump-i/) [Robert Jeffress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jeffress/) > [I've said I want the meanest, toughest SOB I can find to protect America. And so that's why Trump's tone doesn't bother me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jeffress/i-ve-said-i-want-the-meanest-toughest-sob-i-can-find-to-protect/) [Robert Jeffress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jeffress/) > [Abel's sacrifice was accepted by God because it was made according to God's instructions. Cain, however, tried to approach God in his own way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jeffress/abel-s-sacrifice-was-accepted-by-god-because-it-was-made-according-to/) [Robert Jeffress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jeffress/) > [Jesus was not this wimpy little guy who walked around munching sunflower seeds and saying nice things to people. The real Jesus of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jeffress/jesus-was-not-this-wimpy-little-guy-who-walked-around-munching/) [Robert Jeffress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jeffress/) > [I believe there are going to be millions of Catholics in Heaven because they trusted in Christ as their savior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jeffress/i-believe-there-are-going-to-be-millions-of-catholics-in-heaven/) [Robert Jeffress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jeffress/) > [A candidate's faith is not the only consideration, but should be a major consideration in electing the president of the United States.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jeffress/a-candidate-s-faith-is-not-the-only-consideration-but-should-be-a/) [Robert Jeffress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jeffress/) > [There are no perfect politicians - just as there are no perfect pastors or voters. We are all sinners in need of a Savior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jeffress/there-are-no-perfect-politicians-just-as-there-are-no-perfect-pastors/) [Robert Jeffress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jeffress/) > [If our faith is the most important part of our lives, then our religious views influence every other part of our lives, including our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jeffress/if-our-faith-is-the-most-important-part-of-our-lives-then-our/) [Robert Jeffress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jeffress/) > [My wife and I have many friends that are gay, and we welcome LGBT people to attend our church.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jeffress/my-wife-and-i-have-many-friends-that-are-gay-and-we-welcome-lgbt/) [Robert Jeffress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jeffress/) > [Any tool that helps instill God's Word in the lives of people is something I can enthusiastically endorse!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jeffress/any-tool-that-helps-instill-god-s-word-in-the-lives-of-people-is/) [Robert Jeffress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jeffress/) > [These protesters, opposing me or our church, they're protesting the eternal Word of God, and guess what - they're not going to be successful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jeffress/these-protesters-opposing-me-or-our-church-they-re-protesting-the/) [Robert Jeffress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jeffress/) > [Most Americans know we are in a mess, and as they look at Donald Trump, they believe he is the one leader who can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jeffress/most-americans-know-we-are-in-a-mess-and-as-they-look-at-donald-trump/) [Robert Jeffress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jeffress/) > [While love is one of God's attributes, it's not his only attribute. God is also holy and just.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jeffress/while-love-is-one-of-god-s-attributes-it-s-not-his-only-attribute-god/) [Robert Jeffress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jeffress/) > [Of the seven billion people who reside on planet Earth, only 25% could, in the broadest sense of the word, be classified as "Christian"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jeffress/of-the-seven-billion-people-who-reside-on-planet-earth-only-25-could/) [Robert Jeffress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jeffress/) > [If there is a great white throne judgment in which all unbelievers are going to be judged and sentenced to an eternity in hell,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jeffress/if-there-is-a-great-white-throne-judgment-in-which-all-unbelievers/) [Robert Jeffress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jeffress/) [Explore all 105 Robert Jeffress quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jeffress/) ## More Candidates quotes > [There is plenty of time for Republicans to have a Macaca moment. 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There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-drum/if-robert-heinlein-is-more-to-your-taste-than-george-lucas-if-you-are/) [Kevin Drum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-drum/) > [Given a choice between two bald political candidates, the American people will vote for the less bald of the two.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-gold/given-a-choice-between-two-bald-political-candidates-the-american/) [Victor Gold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-gold/) > [Jeb Bush was supposed to be the establishment candidate, but he didn't catch on. And the extraordinary thing about this Republican primary is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-liasson/jeb-bush-was-supposed-to-be-the-establishment-candidate-but-he-didn-t/) [Mara Liasson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-liasson/) > [We know the candidate Barack Obama, what he was like - the anti-war government nig... 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