Evangelical political leaders, eager to enlist an army of religious voters, are building a campaign to get 1,000 church pastors to run for office, believing that their campaigns would awaken 50 million Christian voters who never make it to the polls.
Led by influential evangelical activist David Lane and his well-funded American Renewal Project, and newly endorsed by Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, the campaign is aimed at influencing representation locally, in Congress, and putting a Republican sympathetic to Christian views in the White House.
Lane is well known for his “Pastors & Pews” sessions around the country where he brings pastors together to meet with top Christian Republicans such as Mike Huckabee, Jindal, and Sens. Ted Cruz and Rand Paul. He has been hosting the events for 10 years, meeting with 15,000 pastors in 18 states.
Now he is enlisting some of those pastors to run for office. “I’m getting an army marching,” he said.
Jindal endorsed his effort in a letter to 100,000 pastors. “My appeal is for pastors to pray for 30-45 days to discern if the Lord is calling them to run for city council, county commissioner, school board, mayor or Congress in 2016. If the Lord called 1,000 pastors to run in 2016, and they averaged 300 volunteers per campaign — 300K grassroots, precinct-level Evangelicals — coming from the bottom-up in ’16 — would change America for good,” the letter said.
Lane’s group isn’t just rallying pastors. After influencing several 2014 midterm elections, he is also raising a ton of money for 2016.
“I think the Lord has laid this out to me,” he said.
‘BIRDMAN OF ALCATRAZ’ LIKED IKE — AND NIXON
Robert Stroud, one of the nation’s most notorious killers better known as the Birdman of Alcatraz, was also a student of politics and a fan of Republicans.
In a handwritten letter made public to the Washington Examiner before heading to auction, Stroud explained his political thoughts as he sat, likely in solitary confinement, on Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay in 1952.
With a nod to the 1952 GOP ticket of Dwight Eisenhower and Richard Nixon, he wrote, “I was personally very well pleased with the way the convention went. I think the Republicans have a winning team, and I sure hope that this marks a complete house cleaning. That is what this country needs … I think that Ike may do that …”
Stroud, know for being a self-taught, jailhouse ornithologist, noted that Nixon was the acquaintance of a mutual friend, making it possible that he would get a pardon. He didn’t and died in jail.
Bill Panagopulos, president of Alexander Historical Auctions, said the letter should bring $400 to $500 at his online auction in late January.
PRESERVING HISTORY, ONE WAR AT A TIME
Few states have been ground zero for America’s domestic wars as Virginia has been, something which grabbed the attention of Sen. Tim Kaine when he was governor of the Old Dominion, site of the first successful English colony.
As governor, the Democrat allocated more than $5 million for Civil War battlefield preservation. Now he has helped win congressional approval to expand that effort to Revolutionary War and War of 1812 sites, with the help of the Civil War Preservation Trust.
“Virginia is home to battlefields on which American soldiers gave their last full measure of devotion to bring about the nation we know today,” Kaine told the Washington Examiner. “Passage of this legislation helps preserve that land, allowing future generations to visit and reflect on our history.”
The legislation is considered the start of a broader preservation effort, led by the trust. “By adding Revolutionary War and War of 1812 sites to program eligibility, we protect additional chapters of our nation’s history and honor our forefathers who lost their lives on the battlefield,” Kaine said.
But it’s not just about keeping development away from hallowed ground, the goal of most preservation groups. Kaine said the effort can also drive tourism and deliver dollars to communities around the battlefields.
QUOTED
“President Obama is freed from worrying about Israel because he is not running again, and Hillary Clinton has her own constituency and is willing to ignore Obama.”
Pollster John Zogby on how Clinton can recapture the support of American Jews miffed at the president’s dealings with Israel.
Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner’s “Washington Secrets” columnist, can be contacted at [email protected].
