The Christian Right in the Old Dominion: Resurgent Republicans or Holy War?

Oliver North and the New Christian Right in the 1994 Virginia Senate Election

“…"In both elections, a different Republican candidate would almost surely have won" (Wilcox, Rozell, and Coker 1995, 16). Their losses can be explained by their successful portrayal as untrustworthy extremists by their opponents (Wilcox, Rozell, and Coker 1995).…”

“…The lesson of the 1994 Senate election and the 1993 statewide elections in Virginia seems to be that Republican candidates, who are supported by the Christian Coalition, are successful in winning their general election contests only if they are able to unite the two key disparate components of the Republican coalition (Wilcox, Rozell, and Coker 1995). George Allen and James Gilmore were successful on that front in their respective races for governor and attorney general in 1993, while Farris and North were unable to forge such an alliance in their respective bids for lieutenant governor in 1993, and the US.…”

“…The importance of achieving unity between economic and social conservatives to the success of the Christian right was evident on a national basis in the 1994 congressional elections (Bednar and Hertzke 1995;Gilbert 1995;Green 1995;Guth 1995;Nesmith 1995;Wilcox, Rozell, and Coker 1995). Candidates such as David Beasley in South Carolina, Steve Largent and Jim Inhofe in Oklahoma, and Terry Branstad in Iowa were able to ride to victory under the "rosy scenario" of unified support from economic and social conservatives (Bednar and Hertzke 1995;Guth 1995;Nesmith 1995).…”

Ideology, Electoral Incentives, and Congressional Politics

“…Green (1995) has argued that since the early 1990s, the Christian Right has been a "cornerstone of a resurgent Republican Party" (p. 16) and its influence has been a direct result of its association with candidates. The Christian Right recruited candidates and provided campaign resources for candidates who had an agenda close to that of the Christian Right (Diamond, 1988;Rozell & Wilcox, 1995;Wilcox, Rozell, & Coker, 1995). They also mobilized voters who identified as members of the Christian Right and subsequently voted for the Republican candidate (Green, Guth, & Wilcox, 1998;Regernus, Sikkink, & Smith, 1999).…”

Romancing the Gop

“…Although a vast literature on group lobbying and how it influences the voting patterns of members of Congress and state legislators has existed for decades (Achen, 1977;Dexter, 1969;Erikson, 1978;Hansen, 1991;Rubin, 1981, 1982;Kingdon, 1989;McCrone and Kuklinski, 1979;Miller and Stokes, 1963;Wright, 1985), only recently has some attention been given to understanding how these groups' activities affect political parties. Most of this scholarly work has centered on the direct effect interest groups or social movements have on party candidates and fortunes at the polls (Bednar and Hertzke, 1995;Gilbert, 1995;Green, 1995Green, , 2001Green et al, 1993;Guth, 1995;Moen, 1996;Nesmith, 1995;Rozell and Wilcox, 1999;Wilcox et al, 1995; but see Bositis, 1988, 1993;Green et al, 1998a;Oldfield, 1996;Schwartz, 1990Schwartz, , 1994. As such, little is known about the general linkages between parties and organized groups (Beck, 1974;Coleman, 1996;Frendreis et al, 1996), and the strategies specific organizations such as labor, abortion groups, the National Rifle Association (NRA), and the religious right use to influence political parties.…”