The Religious Right in Ohio Politics

[mojogeorgo]

The following is from The Other Paper's cover story this week

A year ago, Blackwell's candidacy looked like a hopeless vanity project. He'd backed off after promising to run against Taft in '98 and had been a thorn in the side of his fellow Republican officeholders ever since.

But while others were dismissing his chances, Blackwell was very publicly taking up conservative causes, notably opposition to high taxes and gay marriage. He made enemies on Capitol Square, but he made friends among the Republican grassroots.

Suddenly, he's the man to beat.

"If you look at the polls, he's definitely the front runner," said Jordan, a Blackwell supporter. "He did a great job leading our efforts to define marriage the way it's supposed to be defined, and he's doing an outstanding job advocating Republican principles."

To the Republican old guard, the idea that religious folks are deciding the future of their party is maddening.

"That's probably the only group that gives his candidacy any legitimacy," said Republican lobbyist Neil Clark, "and I hope they're proud of that."

They are. This past week has been a coming-out party for evangelicals in Ohio politics.

Tuesday was Ohio Family Lobby Day at the Statehouse, where Christian-right organizations shared strategies for getting more of their priorities passed in the state legislature. The event was organized by Greg Quinlan, a Dayton-area activist who says his Christian faith has cured him of his homosexuality.

The Statehouse rally came three days after Pastor Rod Parsley hosted two national celebrities of the Christian right for a Central Ohio rally. Professional liberal baiter Ann Coulter--who's on the cover of this week's Time magazine--and perennial candidate Alan Keyes came to Parsley's World Harvest Church to help with a flashy launch of the pastor's new book, Silent No More.

"Values voters, as they've been called now," Parsley said in an interview prior to Saturday's event, "I do sense that those people are stirred up. I do sense that they recognized they had a voice, and they recognized that their vote counted and that one vote is important, and I don't think that there's any turning back in them at this point."
----
More on the Religious Right in Ohio Politics here.

[Roland99]

1. Blackwell's the man to beat? WTF? Aren't his ratings in the 30s??

[liberal N proud]

2. The propaganda will never cease

Keep telling people that and the sheep will believe it and support the bastard.

[mojogeorgo]

4. Have you seen this on Coleman?

The mayor's bizarre radio spat
Glenn Beck baits Coleman into defending his manhood

http://www.theotherpaper.com/substory1.html

[PatrioticOhioLiberal]

3. No surprise that the Religious Wrong

would come out for the "fixer" of the Radical Right's win in Ohio.

Rod Parsley? OMG...that man is one of the biggest frauds in Christendom!

Lived in Columbus for a number of years...met some of his brain washed lapdogs...they think this man is a god...and he does nothing to discourage them.

He also sweats like a stuck pig...appropriate since he is a member of the swine family.

COLEMAN FOR GOVERNOR OF OHIO!