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Controversial political endorsements (10 images)

Candidates seeking their party's nomination for president are winning high-profile endorsements from influential community leaders and special interest groups -- way ahead of the primaries. Here's a rundown from the Democratic Party and the GOP.



Donald Trump: Sarah Palin
On Tuesday, former Alaska governor and 2008 Republican Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin, a Tea Party sensation and a favorite among grass-roots conservatives, endorsed businessman Donald Trump as the 2016 Republican presidential candidate. Trump commented that he was "honored" and "proud" to have her support. Pictured: Palin (L) makes remarks as she endorses Trump, January 19, 2016, in Ames, Iowa. Photo by Mike Theiler/UPI
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Marco Rubio: Wayne Grudem
Florida Senator Marco Rubio announced the support of Wayne Grudem, a leading anti-feminist evangelical theologian who has called for the "joyful, intelligent submission" of women. Grudem is a professor at Phoenix Seminary in Arizona and also serves on Rubio's religious liberty advisory board. Pictured: Rubio makes remarks during a town hall event, January 18, 2016, in Ottumwa, Iowa. Photo by Mike Theiler/UPI
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Ted Cruz: Phil Robertson
Texas Senator Ted Cruz released a video in January in which Phil Robertson, best known for his role in A&E's reality television show, "Duck Dynasty," endorsed Cruz for the Republican nomination. Robertson was suspended from the television channel in 2013 for his comments comparing homosexuality to bestiality. Cruz defended Robertson, writing on his Facebook page that "free speech matters." Pictured: Cruz speaks during the Republican Jewish Coalition Presidential Candidates Forum at the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington DC, December 3, 2015. Photo by Molly Riley/UPI
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Mike Huckabee: The Duggar family
Reality TV stars Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar of TLC's "19 Kinds & Counting" posted their endorsements for Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee the day he launched his 2016 campaign. Despite claims that the eldest Duggar son, Josh, molested young girls, Huckabee expressed his support of the family. By the next month, the Duggar's endorsement had disappeared from the website. Pictured: Huckabee speaks during the Republican Jewish Coalition Presidential Candidates Forum at the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington DC, December 3, 2015. Photo by Molly Riley/UPI
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