Focusing on social issues has helped Republican presidential candidates in the past -- Mike Huckabee outlasted the likes of Rudy Giuliani and Fred Thompson in 2008, while Gary Bauer and Alan Keyes did better than Dan Quayle, Lamar Alexander and Elizabeth Dole in 2000. Even evangelical leader Pat Robertson beat out George H.W. Bush in the Iowa caucus back in 1988.

Taking a page from these past candidates’ playbooks, Texas Gov. Rick Perry looked to appeal to social conservatives on Tuesday. While he rocketed to the top of the national polls after he announced his candidacy back in August, a series of gaffes and poor debate performances have left Perry sinking in the polls.

With former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich and former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts leading national polls and surveys of the early states that will help determine who will emerge to take on President Barack Obama in 2012, Perry turned to the subject where the two Republican front-runners are weak -- social issues.

Perry slammed Obama on Tuesday after reports emerged that the administration intended to advance gay rights through foreign policy.

"Just when you thought Barack Obama couldn't get any more out of touch with America's values, AP reports his administration wants to make foreign aid decisions based on gay rights,” said Perry in a statement. "This administration's war on traditional American values must stop.

"I have proposed a foreign aid budget that starts at zero. From that zero baseline, we will consider aid requests based solely on America's national security interests. Promoting special rights for gays in foreign countries is not in America's interests and not worth a dime of taxpayers' money,” Perry added. "But there is a troubling trend here beyond the national security nonsense inherent in this silly idea. This is just the most recent example of an administration at war with people of faith in this country. Investing tax dollars promoting a lifestyle many Americans of faith find so deeply objectionable is wrong.

"President Obama has again mistaken America's tolerance for different lifestyles with an endorsement of those lifestyles," Perry said in conclusion. “I will not make that mistake."

Perry also unveiled a big endorsement in a key state on Tuesday when he was backed by Kurt Wuelper, the president of New Hampshire Right-to-Life. New Hampshire holds the first presidential primary in the nation.

The Texas governor used the opportunity to highlight his pro-life credentials.

"I am honored to have Kurt's support and the support of so many other pro-life Americans," said Perry. "As governor of Texas, I signed more pro-life legislation than any other governor in history. Our nation needs a president committed to protecting the rights of innocent, unborn children."  

The Perry camp pointed to their candidate’s record in Texas, noting that his defunding of Planned Parenthood led to 12 of that organization’s offices being shut down in the Lone Star State. Perry has also signed into law bills banning late-term abortions and requiring sonograms for women considering having abortions. The Perry camp insists that there has been no state funding of abortion during his time in Austin.

"I know that Governor Perry unequivocally believes that life begins at conception and does not waver in his protection of the unborn, unlike some self-professed pro-life candidates," said Wuelper on Tuesday. "But more than just talking the talk, Rick Perry has shown he is a man of strong faith and strong action. He has a proven, consistent record of protecting innocent human life and has signed more pro-life legislation than any governor in Texas history, including the Parental Notification Act, the Parental Consent Act, the Prenatal Protection Act, and the Woman's Right to Know Act. That's why I am supporting him for president.