Five prominent conservatives, all who’ve run for president — three of them against Donald Trump — have shared with The Stream their reasons for strongly backing the billionaire businessman.

Dr. Ben Carson, conservative activist Gary Bauer, Gov. Rick Perry, Gov. Mike Huckabee and Rep. Michele Bachmann each present a unique argument, running the gamut from protecting life, religious liberty and the Supreme Court to the pragmatic desire to see someone capable of “draining” the Washington “swamp” to simply wanting to stop Hillary Clinton.

But one thing they agree on: Voters really have no other choice in this election. In fact, three of these leaders fear this election is our last shot at saving the nation we love.

Dr. Ben Carson

Dr. Ben Carson, who endured withering personal attacks from Trump during the early part of the campaign, was quick to forgive and quick to team up with the eventual nominee. Dr. Carson observes that in 2012, 25 million registered evangelicals did not vote in a race that would be decided by 5 million votes. “We have the ability to change the direction of the country, but we must get involved in order to do that.” The famed neurosurgeon dissects the argument used by many #NeverTrump evangelicals that we should not choose between the lesser of two evils:

When we say that we can’t choose between the lesser of two evils, we negate the necessity for a brain that gives us the ability to take in information and make decisions. Every day when you leave the house until the time you get back in bed at night time you’re making decisions and choices between lesser of evils because we live in an evil world.

He argues that Hillary Clinton holds positions contrary to life and traditional values. “One candidate has no problems with barbaric procedures to rip apart fully formed, viable infants that have yet to be born. That same candidate has no problem changing the definition of traditional Christian institutions like marriage and has no problem confusing our young people about their gender.”

Contrary to the message from the “media and political class,” this election is not about the candidates as individuals, but about their ideals. “They have fundamentally different visions of what America is. We get to decide which vision we want to have for our children.” Warns Dr. Carson, “I do not believe there will be an opportunity for a redo after this election.”

Gary Bauer

Longtime conservative activist Gary Bauer agrees with Dr. Carson. Bauer tells The Stream that “This election may be the last chance we have to stop the left’s fundamental transformation of America, and restore our nation and the values we cherish.” Bauer, who served in the Ronald Reagan administration and ran for president himself in 2000, says that not voting or voting third party only empowers the left.

He offers five reasons why conservatives and Christians should vote for Trump:

1. Trump has said repeatedly that his Supreme Court appointments WILL BE pro-life.
2. Trump believes in secure borders, in American exceptionalism and the rule of law.
3. Trump has directly confronted the debate-ending culture of “political correctness.”
4. Trump’s selection of Indiana Governor Mike Pence to be his running mate was a grand slam home run. Mike Pence is a Ronald Reagan conservative who describes himself as “Christian, a conservative and a Republican — and in that order!”
5. Trump will bring with him 4,000 political appointees. He will nominate more than 300 federal judges. With Mike Pence advising him, I am confident he will bring more conservatives and more Christians into government.  Hillary Clinton will drive them out of public service.

Bauer puts our choice bluntly:  “I will not guarantee that conservatives will applaud everything Donald Trump does. But I can guarantee that Hillary Clinton will do nothing conservatives might applaud.”

Gov. Rick Perry

Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry picks up the theme of two competing visions and places before the voters a series of compelling questions:

• Will we protect our religious rights?
• Will we respect and follow the US Constitution?
• Will we protect innocent life?
• Will we support our veterans?
• Will we stand for the national anthem?

Gov. Perry points to only one major candidate who could honestly answer in the affirmative.

While still in the race, the former Texas governor took serious aim at Trump, at one point even describing himself as “defending conservatism against the cancer of Trump-ism.” Today, he recognizes that Trump “brings something to the table that other candidates do not.”

Because of his financial independence and fearless approach, he is able to withstand the assault of a very biased liberal media. He is able to stand effectively against that assault and the political correctness that is now being exposed for the damage it causes. That’s why it is so essential that we support him and the rest of us try to share what we know with him to make him stronger.

Perry also thinks that the real estate tycoon can disrupt the corruption and complacency of our governing elites:

Donald Trump is committed to breaking up the cabal of elite Washington insiders who would continue to drain this country of its strength, resolve and values. The draining needs to be done by us, the American people who thru Donald Trump will drain the swamp of Washington, D.C., and again bring America back to its God gifted preeminence in the world.

Gov. Mike Huckabee

Like Dr. Carson, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee went from a Trump foe to friend, becoming one of Trump’s most outspoken media spokesmen. For the former pastor and also a staff member with James Robison years ago, Hillary Clinton’s contempt for citizens of faith is only one reason a Hillary presidency is a frightful thought.

Beyond Hillary’s truly radical advocacy for taxpayer funded partial birth abortion, and her breathtaking statements that “religions need to change,” (when I thought that PEOPLE were to change for their faith, not change their faith to match their lifestyle!), an over-arching reason we must not allow her to occupy the White House is that she has proven she is utterly corrupt.

Huckabee runs down some of the seemingly inexhaustible litany of Hillary’s dubious, devious and illicit actions, as well as her “contempt of Catholics, evangelicals, and working class people (the ‘great unwashed’ to Hillary).” He also condemns Clinton’s behind-the-scenes behavior, saying her “vulgar and vain treatment of those around her, especially the military and security personnel who were shamefully treated as personal servants, is unacceptable.”

Hillary’s not the only problem, Huckabee warns. Think about whom she will bring with her to office, and the threat those appointees pose to freedom.

Imagine who would fill the cabinet level agencies and run the day to day operations of the federal government. Imagine the FBI, CIA, IRS, and other federal agencies turned loose to harass, prosecute and destroy her political opponents.  I don’t want to imagine a “Hillary’s America.”

Rep. Michele Bachmann

In these “challenging days of geopolitical upheaval,” former Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann speaks not of a candidate, but of our Creator. “Jesus, the Messiah unequivocally assures us, ‘I have overcome the World.’ That is my lifeline.”

For Bachmann, the danger to our nation is real and our time has nearly run out:

As the clock strikes 11:59 p.m. on the survival of American religious liberty, He has given believers the chance to express godly values in the public square.

As believers, our trust and confidence in these troubling times lie not in the shifting sands of politics, but in a changeless Lord.

That same Lord allows those of us who call America home the gift of choice. We can speak into our culture with our vote on November 8th. Our vote will speak volumes to the unborn, to pastors and believers seeking to exercise religious liberty.  Our vote will determine whether moms and dads will still be allowed to rear their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

This is a time when there will be no “do overs.”

Protest votes will elect the enemies of religious liberty. Not voting will do the same.

For the 44 years since we were saved, my husband and I have tried to follow Joshua’s words, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”  As imperfect and failing as our choices in the voting booth may be, we will enter that voting booth ready to vote our biblical values.