With Rick Santorum unexpectedly withdrawing from his proposed presidential bid, Christian conservatives who previously opposed Mitt Romney are now cautiously supporting him, The New York Times is reporting. The conservatives initially felt Romeny was a Massachusetts moderate, but said their shared hostility towards President Obama will unite the Republican party in November.

Major support for Romney came this morning from Christian conservatives came from the National Organization for Marriage, a leading opponent of same-sex marriage, which endorsed the presidential candidate. The group called him a true champion, and that Obama “has done virtually everything in his power to undermine the institution of power.”

But many evangelicals, who accounted for nearly one fourth of all ballots in recent elections, warned their support won’t come without conditions. Many conservatives have questioned Romney’s opposition to abortion, same-sex marriage and government spending. They added that he’ll need to produce a large evangelical turnout in such swing states like Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio and Virginia to win.

Romney’s aides questioned the skepticism of the evangelists, as he formally pledged to oppose same-sex marriage and strong support for Israel and the military budget. But his inconsistent history on social issues has led some to question whether he could fulfill his duties as president.

Written by: Karen Benardello