attractive candidate because he was twice elected governor in Democratic-leaning Minnesota. He did this by appealing to the economic concerns of the working class - "Sam's Club Republicans," he calls them - and by declining to wear his deeply conservative social views (he's an evangelical Christian) on his sleeve.

But now Pawlenty is campaigning as if he's some sort of Southern preacher. At the Faith & Freedom event, he was dropping g's all over the place, using "ain't" instead of "isn't," and adding a syrup to his vowels not indigenous to Minnesota. He didn't utter the word "jobs," made only passing reference to economic woes, and instead gave the assembled religious conservatives a fiery speech about God, gays and gynecology.

"We have people in Washington, D.C., who believe the unborneconomic message is beginning to atrophy as private-sector job growth improves and the new House Republican majority struggles to focus on the economy.

Instead, the religious conservatives who dominate primaries are pulling Republicans back toward themes such as abortion and gay rights. The Tea Party is morphing from an economic movement into a conventional moral crusade.

That pivot was best articulated by Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) in his speech at the Faith & Freedom event. "It's not the economy," he told the crowd, warning about gay marriage. "If we get the culture right, the economy will be right eventually," he said to applause.

A similar message was offered by Rick Santorum, another presidential hopeful. "Everyone wants to talk about the economy, and it's important," he said. "But what's the mission? What's