Kentucky county clerk Kim Davis was
honored Friday night at the Family Research Council's (FRC) annual
Values Voter Summit.
Davis was presented with the group's
Cost of Discipleship Award for refusing to comply with the U.S.
Supreme Court's June ruling striking down gay marriage bans in all 50
states. Davis, who says that issuing marriage licenses to gay and
lesbian couples would violate her conscience, spent five days in jail
after a federal judge found her in contempt.
Davis was introduced by Mat Staver,
chairman of Liberty Counsel, the Christian conservative law group
representing Davis, and FRC President Tony Perkins.
“These are times in history that are
unlike anything that we had before,” Staver told the crowd. “God
birthed Kim Davis, and [husband] Joe Davis, and each one of you for
this moment in American and world history.”
“[God is] looking for people who love
Jesus Christ and who will stand for Him, who will not flinch when
their time is called and that person is Kim Davis and Joe Davis. May
God raise up more,” he added.
Davis received a standing ovation as
she took the stage, where she gave a brief speech.
“Without Him, none of this would have
been possible, for He is my strength that carried me,” an emotional
Davis said. “I am only one, but we are many!”
Earlier in the day, Staver announced
that Davis had switched political parties, saying that she felt
abandoned by Democrats.
“I've always been a Democrat, but the
party left me,” Davis
said.
Most Republican presidential candidates
have sided with Davis, while Democratic candidates have said she
should follow the law.