Initially, some felt ill at ease over the New York senator’s appearance at the Global Summit on AIDS and the Church hosted by Saddleback Valley Community Church because of her support for abortion and gay rights, which most evangelicals are opposed to. However, her emphasis on her Christian faith – which she regularly backed with Bible quotations – and concerns for the AIDS pandemic softened some evangelicals’ view of the candidate often painted by conservatives as liberal, calculative and cold.

A good reception at the influential megachurch might help Clinton make inroads among the evangelical voters.

“Sen. Clinton has the boldness to broaden her base…it shows she’s done her homework and she’s open to new ideas,” ...