As the Republican primaries move from South Carolina to Florida, the candidates are being quizzed on several issues, but are being judged by the American public on their family issues as well. Some Americas find that the state of their family values can prove to be just as important as their stances on issues such as the economy.

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Newt Gingrich has shown strength as a presidential contender after winning the latest primary in South Carolina with Mitt Romney, Ron Paul, an Rick Santorum trailing behind him. However, apparently led the other candidates to bring his family situation into the spotlight, including a history of three marriages and two extra-marital affairs. This information about Gingrich's personal life has been the subject of scandal for quite some time, but has managed to play a larger part in his race to the White House as even college students take the candidate's family values into account.

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When asked whether a man's family values say a lot who he is as a person, Boston University sophomore Cheyanne Sinclair responded, "Yes, I do. I feel especially that if he's in the public eye, that he should have strong family values. If he doesn't, I feel it could make a person's career pretty awkward." However, BU sophomore Courtney Hunter said, "I don't think family values and politics are directly related. It definitely says a lot about you as a person, but in terms of how you handle things like foreign policy issues or social issues or internal affairs, I don't think it's going to have a direct effect."

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Other students believe that a candidates family values are important because they believe it may show what type of president they would be.

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"I mean, if they can't even control their own family or make good decisions in that area of their life, then how are they going to control things like the current debt crisis or make good decisions about the economy?", says BU sophomore Ashley Acuna.

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It seems that when it comes to family values and politics, CFA sophmore Shaifali Verma sums it up pretty well, "Americans seem to love to be able to relate to or look up to their leaders - especially the leaders of their country. If the president doesn't have a good 'ole fashioned American pie type of family, then they won't feel comfortable with him as a leader."