NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – A top Southern Baptist official says evangelical voters might tolerate a divorced presidential candidate, but they have deep doubts about former Mayor Giuliani, whose divorce was “on steroids.”

Richard Land, head of public policy for the Southern Baptist Convention, told The Associated Press on Tuesday that evangelicals believe Mr. Giuliani showed a lack of character during his divorce from second wife Donna Hanover.

“I mean, this is divorce on steroids,” Land said. “To publicly humiliate your wife in that way, and your children. That’s rough. I think that’s going to be an awfully hard sell, even if he weren’t pro-choice and pro-gun control.”

The Nashville-based Southern Baptist Convention is the largest Protestant denomination in the nation with more than 16 million members in 42,000 churches.

Southern Baptists have been among the most vocal of conservative Christian groups in support of the Bush administration, but they and other conservative evangelicals are struggling to find a consensus presidential candidate that embraces their core values against gay marriage and abortion.

Mr. Giuliani married his longtime companion Judith Nathan in 2003, but he was publicly dating Nathan while he was still married to Ms. Hanover. His first marriage ended in an annulment.

A Mr. Giuliani staff member referred calls on Land’s statement to his exploratory committee, which did not have an immediate response.

Mr. Land noted that fellow Republican presidential candidate Senator McCain of Arizona is also divorced, but that Mr. McCain has acknowledged his part in the marriage’s failure.

“It’s a molehill compared to Giuliani’s mountain,” Mr. Land said. “When you’re a war hero (like McCain), you have less to prove on the character front.”

Many polls identify Mr. Giuliani as the front-runner in the Republican presidential primary, followed by Mr. McCain and former Massachusetts Governor Romney.

If Mr. Giuliani faced Democratic contender Senator Clinton of New York in the general election, evangelicals would support Giuliani, but in fewer numbers than if it was a “pro-life candidate who was still with his first wife,” Mr. Land said.

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