Mid-term elections are held every four years, half-way between presidential
elections.
Drop in support of the Republican party by white evangelical Christians:
White, evangelical or born-again Christians had a major impact on the 2004
elections. According to exit polls, they total one quarter of the electorate, and
78% of them voted Republican. However, some polling specialists believe that
conservative Protestant support for the Republican party may have peaked in
2004, and now may be in decline. What is called the "God Gap" may be shrinking.
The Pew Research Center conducted a poll from 2006-SEP-20 to OCT-04 and released
its data on 2006-OCT-05. Results show that 57% white evangelicals are planning to
vote for Republican members of congress in the mid-term elections on NOV-07.
This is a 21 percentage point drop. The last five days of the 14 day poll may
have been influenced by the allegations against ex-Representative Mark Foley
(FL-R), 52, and further allegations of a Republican cover-up. If the poll were
repeated in mid-October, the drop in support might be even greater.
Alan Cooperman of the Washington Post reported:
"Nationally, the Republicans' once formidable hold on churchgoing voters
has begun to slip. Among those who say they attend church more than once a
week, the GOP still holds a commanding lead. The main shift is among weekly
churchgoers, about a quarter of all voters. Two years ago, they favored the
GOP by a double-digit margin. But in the new Pew survey, 44 percent leaned
toward Republicans and 43 percent toward Democrats, a statistical dead
heat."
"The slippage is particularly striking among evangelicals. According to
Pew data, the portion of white evangelical Protestants who identify
themselves as Republicans rose steadily from 2000 to 2004 but leveled off
this year at about half. The percentage who support keeping troops in Iraq
has dropped to 55 percent, from 68 percent in early September."
" 'The allegiance of evangelicals has been more in flux over the past 12
months, suggesting that the considerations going into their votes are
changing,' said Scott Keeter, Pew's director of survey research." 1
Factors of concern to religious conservatives:
Many evangelicals are experiencing a high level of frustration. Some topics
are:
Needless to say, many of these concerns may not sway many individual
religious conservatives to switch from the Republican to the Democratic party.
However, they may well motivate large numbers of conservatives to stay home on
election day.
A call for evangelicals to desert the Republican party:
There is the occasional call for evangelicals to leave the Republican Party
and form a third political force in the country. In an open letter to "Dr.
Dobson & friends" coach Dave Daubenmire of NewsWithViews.com
suggests:
"Dr. Dobson, it is time to build an ark. It is time to leave the
Republican Party. Jesus will not ride into town on an elephant."
"I know that seems like a radical move, sir, but it has become
increasingly apparent that the core values of the Republican Party are not
Christian values. It is time for all Christian leaders to ask themselves if
its possible for God to bless a polluted party. Make no mistake, the
Republican Party is polluted."
"In an attempt to build a big tent, the Republican Party has become a
conglomerate of special interests. Christians are now standing
shoulder-to-shoulder in a party that supports
homosexual candidates, pro-abortion
candidates, and those who support homosexual marriage.
..."
"Others have tried to start new parties, but no one has the influence and
platform that you have. Many are standing on the sidelines waiting to help.
They will never return to the Republican Party. Certainly you feel the
frustration, the exasperation bubbling up in America." 4
He recommends that the former Chief Justice of Alabama, Roy Moore, be drafted
as the presidential candidate of the new party. Moore was
removed from office in 2003
because of his failure "...to comply with an existing and binding court order
directed to him" to remove a Ten Commandments
monument from the Alabama State Judicial Building.
Sponsored link:
Democratic candidate made history:
Kieth Ellison, was Democratic candidate for Congress in the Fifth
Congressional District in Minnesota. He won over six other candidates in a
primary race in 2006-SEP. He made history, as the first Muslim
elected to congress as well as the first black representative from that state.
He plans to take the oath of office on a Qur'an.
According to the New York Times:
"Mr. Ellison’s progressive positions, including support for
universal health coverage, raising the minimum wage and withdrawing the
troops from Iraq, cemented his appeal among a broad swath of Democrats in
this liberal district. ..."
"Mr. Ellison brushes off the idea that he was motivated to run for
Congress to become the first Muslim or first black from Minnesota. Rather it
was to change policy, he said, to fight in the manner of the beloved Senator
Paul Wellstone against a Republican administration that marginalized the
poor and minorities." 5
Fundamentalist Christian leader fears for consequences of election:
LifeSiteNews.com wrote. in part:
The social consequences of a liberal victory in the coming elections will
be grave, particularly for children, Dr. James Dobson warned in a radio
broadcast urging pro-family voters to go to the polls.
Dr. Dobson accused the national media of attempting to influence
pro-family voters to stay home. Despite media efforts to convince "values
voters" that the issue of homosexual marriage is no longing of central
importance, Dr. Dobson said, activists’ push for same-sex "rights" is
increasingly focused on the next generation.
"Children are being targeted," Dr. Dobson stated. "If one of these states
do not confirm traditional marriage, adoption laws will change. Those put in
foster care will be placed in different kinds of homes, the training foster
care parents receive will be consistent with the homosexual perspective."
Dobson said the key significance of the coming elections is evident in
media attacks on pro-family supporters.
"I have never seen such hatred in my life. I am being bludgeoned," Dobson
said, making reference to an NBC broadcaster who allegedly referred to him
as ‘the worst man in the world.’ "Why? Why now? Well, it’s not really
personal to me. But they identify me as one of the people who turned out the
values voters last time--and they are determined to never, ever let it
happen again."
"If people of faith--the so-called values voters--don’t come out and let
their voices be heard, there are going to be some major implications for
this country", he said. "There are these statements from the media that
values voters don’t care this year and that they’re going to stay home."
8
Attacks on a Muslim candidate for local office:
According to SignOnSanDiego.com:
"A letter by former state Republican Party chairman Shawn Steel has been
circulating on the Internet for a week, accusing city council candidate and
Syrian immigrant Belal 'Bill' Dalati of helping sponsor an anti-Israel rally
and associating with 'zany left wing groups'."
Dalati, a Muslim and Republican, became a U.S. citizen in 1987 and ran for
Anaheim, CA, city council on a platform of more job creation, better health
care, and reducing traffic congestion.
On 2006-OCT-09, Hussam Ayloush, executive director of the Southern California office of the
Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) said:
"Mr. Steel has a long history of making Islamaphobic comments. But for
him to bring his dirty politics into our city is not appreciated." 6
On 2006-OCT-12, Dalati's supporters offered him
support and condemn Steel's comments. Hussam Ayloush said:
"We call on all Californians to reject attempts
to spread fear of Islam and Muslims by falsely labeling Arab-American and
Muslim-American candidates as extremists. It is disturbing to see a public
official exploit the growing anti-Muslim feeling in our society." 10
On NOV-01, a week before the elections, Dalati
re-registered as a Democrat. He lost the election.
Deceptive amendments:
Seven states have proposed marriage amendments to their constitution
that were be presented to voters on 2006-NOV-07. They are being billed as simple
amendments that will prevent two men or two women from marrying in the state or
having their marriages made elsewhere recognized by the state. However five are actually stealth amendments.
They are intended will affect the
lives of both opposite and same-sex couples in major ways. These stealth
amendments go much further than simply restricting marriage to one man and one
women. They also forbid the state from taking any benefits or protections
that opposite-sex married couples automatically receive and extending them to
loving committed same-sex couples. Some amendments prohibit the state from
extending benefits to unmarried opposite-sex couples who live together without marrying. This means, for example,
that one partner in a loving, committed, permanent living-together relationship
cannot be guaranteed the right to visit his or her partner in hospital. They
would also be cut off from hundreds of other rights enjoyed by married couples.
They may have been married for decades and had children. But to the state,
they will be considered only as roommates.
On NOV-07, the state marriage amendment in Arizona was narrowly rejected by a
vote of 51% to 49%. This is the first time that such an amendment has been
turned down by the voters. In addition, the amendments that were passed were
approved by smaller majorities.
The Family Research Council (FRC) has complained that Amendment 2 in
Missouri was a type of stealth amendment. It prohibits reproductive cloning; it
permits therapeutic cloning. The FRC does not differentiate between the two very
different types of cloning. The Amendment passed. More
details
Attempt to criminalize abortion in South Dakota:
The South Dakota legislature had passed an anti-abortion
access bill earlier in 2006 that would criminalize all abortions in the
state which were not required to save the life of the woman. The governor signed
it into law. Pregnancies resulting from rape or incest could not be
terminated. Abortions needed to prevent serious health problems, including
permanent disability to the woman, could not be performed.
Implementation of the law was scheduled for 2006-JUL. However, it was stalled
pending a vote in the NOV-07 elections.
On the early morning of 2006-NOV-08, Reuters reported:
"South Dakota voters overturned on Tuesday a state abortion ban that
supporters had championed as the best chance to challenge a 33-year-old U.S.
Supreme Court decision legalizing the procedure."
" 'This means that there has been a rebellion against social, right-wing
wedge politics that have been dominating this country,' said Sarah Stoesz,
chief of Planned Parenthood's operations in the Dakotas and Minnesota, key
backers of the campaign to kill the measure. ... 'It is a very important
victory for people who are open-minded and progressive in this country'."
"Supporters of the abortion ban declined to comment."
"With 81 percent of vote counted early Wednesday, those voting to
overturn the law had an advantage of 55 percent to 45 percent, and CNN
projected a victory for opponents of the measure." 11
The final vote was essentially unchanged at 56% no and 44% yes. 12
References used:
The following information sources were used to prepare and update the above
essay. The hyperlinks are not necessarily still active today.
-
Alan Cooperman, "GOP's Hold on Evangelicals Weakening. Party's Showing in Midterm Elections May Be Hurt as Polls Indicate
Support Dropping in Base," Washington Post, 2006-OCT-06, at:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
-
David Kuo, "Tempting Faith: An inside story of political seduction," Free Press, (2006).
Read reviews or order this book safely from Amazon.com
online book store
-
Jonathan Singer, "The Republicans' Evangelical Problem" My DD -- Direct
Democracy, 2006-OCT-06, at:
http://www.mydd.com/
-
Dave Daubenmire, "Dear Dr. Dobson & Friends," NewsWithViews,
2006-OCT-05, at:
http://www.newswithviews.com/
-
Neil MacFarquhar, "Democrat Poised to Become First Muslim in Congress," New
York Times, 2006-OCT-08, at:
http://www.nytimes.com/
-
Gillian Fiaccus, "Anaheim city council race heats up over Mideast
politics," Associated Press, 2006-OCT-09, at:
http://www.signonsandiego.com/
- "Washington Update: Missouri Cloning Bill: Trick or Treatment?,"
Family Research Council, 2006-OCT-18.
- Gudrun Schultz, "James Dobson: 'I have never seen such hatred in my life. I
am being bludgeoned.' Children Will Be Targeted if States Change Marriage
Definition, He Warns," LifeSiteNews.com, 2006-OCT-21.
- John-Henry Westen. "US Bishops Set to Tell Catholics Opposed to Teaching on
Abortion or Homosexuality not to Receive Communion," LifeSiteNews.com,
2006-OCT-21.
-
Gillian Flaccus, "Civic leaders condemn attack on Calif. Muslim candidate,"
The Mercury News, 2006-OCT-12, at:
http://www.mercurynews.com/
-
"Voters reject South Dakota abortion ban," CNN.com, 2006-NOV-08, at:
http://www.cnn.com/
-
"America Votes 2006," CNN.com, 2006-NOV-08, at:
http://www.cnn.com/
Copyright © 2006 by Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance
Originally written: 2006-OCT-09
Latest update: 2006-NOV-11
Author: B.A. Robinson
Page Translator:
