Huckabee speaks at Thomas Road Baptist Church

From wall to wall, each pew was full on the Sunday before Election Day at Thomas Road Baptist Church.

“It is Election Day on Tuesday. We as Christians and we as Americans- this is something that we have been paying attention to,” said Pastor Jonathan Falwell.

Falwell introduced a friend, former Arkansas Governor, Mike Huckabee – who the pastor previously endorsed. Huckabee, known as a conservative Republican, says he wants people to vote Christian.

“I would never use a pulpit of the church to try to tell people to vote Democrat or Republican or which candidate. That’s something they have to decide on their own conscience. But I never would hesitate to say vote on your principles,” Huckabee said.

He said parties are not as important and church members we talked to agree.

“Dr. Fallwell [says] don’t vote Republican, don’t vote Democrat, vote Christian. That’s how I voted,” said Linley Harrison.

The church passed out flyers from the American Family Association that listed key issues and whether McCain or Obama support or oppose them. Many in the congregation say it is Republicans like Huckabee who support the issues most crucial to them.

“Just to see him come as a pastor and a governor-  to come and support pro-life and pro-family issues that as Christians, we all should be supporting,” said Steven Mosley.

But at the end of the sermon, Falwell preached, “Whether it’s John McCain or Barack Obama, we as Christians have a duty and responsibility to pray for that person every single day because they will be our leader.”

One of John McCain’s fellow POW’s during the Vietnam War was also at the service. Orson Swindle has been friends with John McCain now for 37 years. He was by his side in captivity, and now he’s helping in the campaign.

Orson says he believes in the Republican presidential candidate because he’s already been tested.

“We met first by tapping through a wall in a prison in Hanoi back on December the 30th of 1970, and a few months after that we were moved to a group of 36 prisons they isolated from the main body saying we were the bad guys, which we weren’t. We would wind up sleeping side by side for 18 months… He had a chance when he was almost dead to be released, but it would have meant to betray each of us who were there before him; it would betray his creed, his sense of honor, and he chose to stay and tough it out,” Swindle said.

Two more of McCain’s fellow POW’s were also at the service.