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The campaign for Arizona Sen. John McCain has sent a media advisory this morning, announcing that Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback, a former Republican presidential hopeful, will endorse McCain during a press conference in Dubuque. In addition, the Politico is reporting that Christian leader Pat Roberson will throw his support behind former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani. (The Radio Iowa blog has an mp3 of the Robertson endorsement.)

Statement from Brownback

"Today I am proud to endorse my friend and a true American hero, John McCain, for President of the United States. While I respect all of the Republicans running for president this year, John McCain is the only candidate who can rally the Reagan coalition of conservatives, Independents, and conservative Democrats needed to defeat Hillary Clinton or any other Democrat in the general election next year. John McCain has spent a lifetime standing up for human rights around the world, including a consistent 24-year pro-life record of protecting the rights of the unborn. John McCain alone has the courage, leadership and character to lead our party to victory in 2008 while keeping faith with our most cherished values -- life, faith and family."

Following the press conference in Dubuque, McCain and Brownback will travel together to Des Moines and then Sioux City, holding additional press conferences in each location. There was speculation, when Brownback dropped from the race for the White House in mid-October, that Brownback would endorse one of the other Republican candidates. Some believed he would endorse former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney while others argued he was more closely aligned with former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee. Following his departure from the race, Brownback personally met with Giuliani to discuss abortion. At that time, Brownback said he would consider Giuliani because he heard the candidate had changed his position on late-term abortion and had pledged to appoint strict constructionists to the courts. It can only be assumed that Brownback was not pleased with the way that meeting ended.

While not a national favorite, Brownback had won favor with many notable Iowans and had earned a third-place finish in the Republican Party of Iowa's presidential fundraiser known as the Ames Straw Poll -- a contest in which McCain refused to participate. Some of Brownback's most prominent Iowa supporters came from social conservative channels -- Iowa Family Policy Center president and former state representative Chuck Hurley, Iowa Right to Life president and executive director Kim Lehman, Grace West Church pastor Bob Deever, Casey's General Store founder Don Lamberti, Dubuque County anti-abortion activist Ellen Markham, River Life Ministries pastor Francis Frangipane, Monroe First Baptist Church pastor Jack McCullough, West Des Moines Crossroads Fellowship pastor James Peterson, Council Bluffs Heartland House pastor Jim Kohl, Scott County anti-abortion activist Luana Stoltenberg, State Sen. Mark Zieman, Scott County anti-abortion activist Mary Ann Logan, Linn County anti-abortion activist Michelle Howe, Iowa Sen. Nancy Boettger, Des Moines Walnut Creek pastor Nick Bal, Des Moines Kingdom House of Prayer pastor Randy Bixby, Des Moines Calvary Apostolic Church pastor Rex Deckard, Marion Wind and Fire Ministries pastor Ric Lumbard and Ames Stonebrook Community pastor Tim Borseth.

McCain, who has not been polling high or pulling the heartstrings of Iowa social conservatives should receive at least a small boost in the state from this endorsement. Still, it's an odd move for Brownback, who has found lock-step movement with even the most extreme of the party's social conservatives a comfortable pace -- even while working on the sidelines with the likes of the late uber-liberal Paul Wellstone to enact human trafficking laws and Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Joe Biden to craft Iraq policy. McCain rebuked social conservatives during his 2000 bid and has done little to smooth over his previous statements against the movement, including dismissing Jerry Falwell as an "agent of intolerance."

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Robertson's endorsement of Giuliani has its own dynamic. In Iowa, at least, Giuliani has continually scored lower in the polls due to his more moderate stances on abortion and same-sex marriage -- two issues on which Robertson and Giuliani have severe and clear differences. Many of the GOP faithful here can be overheard discussing why so many Christian leaders have pushed for either Romney or Giuliani. Conventional Iowa wisdom is that the party is willing to throw socially conservative values overboard if releasing such baggage means another four years in the White House.