Skip to: Content
Skip to: Site Navigation
Skip to: Search

July 24, 2008 9:05:03 AM CDT

Learn about Newser Points »

« Back to the grid | Next story »

Thompson Losing Evangelicals

Posted Sep 27, 07 12:31 PM CDT in US,  Politics 

(Newser) – Fred Thompson, once the longed-for alternative to a field of uninspiring GOP candidates, didn't get through his campaign's first official month before the religious right started jumping ship, Politico reports. Thompson's refusal to back a gay marriage ban, past lobbying for an abortion-rights group, and refusal to talk religion has conservatives scrambling to find a different candidate to stop frontrunner Rudy Giuliani's nomination.

Support for Thompson is "just not going to happen now," said a member of a loose federation of conservative groups. And an email from evangelical heavyweight James Dobson saying Thompson "can't speak his way out of a paper bag," had others rethinking. But supporters point to another non-churchgoing actor with gay friends and a mixed record on abortion: Ronald Reagan.

Source Politico

0 comments | Print E-mail | Digg Seed this on Newsvine Add this link to Del.icio.us StumbleUpon

Related Newser Stories

  • Giuliani Loses Dobson's Vote

    May 18, 07 6:58 AM CDT
    Giuliani Loses Dobson's Vote Christian evangelist James Dobson came out swinging against Rudy Giuliani after the former mayor admitted last week that he supports abortion rights and same-sex domestic partnerships. Dobson says he won't vote for Rudy if he wins the GOP nomination, citing those issues and "moral concerns"  over his marital behavior. More »

  • Falwell's Death Ends an Era

    May 16, 07 9:08 AM CDT
    It's impossible to grasp the profound change in American political life in the last quarter-century without understanding Jerry Falwell and the movement he fostered, writes Newsweek's Howard Fineman. Falwell, who died yesterday, created the Moral Majority, helped launch the Reagan Revolution, and dug the evangelical foundations—currently shifting—on which the modern Republican establishment stands. More »

Former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson, center, addresses the media on the Grand Hotel porch at the Mackinac Republican Leadership Conference on Mackinac Island, Mich., Saturday, Sept. 22, 2007. (AP Photo/Carlos...   (Associated Press)
Republican presidential hopeful, former Tennessee senator Fred Thompson, addresses the Mackinac Republican Leadership Conference on Mackinac Island, Mich., Saturday, Sept. 22, 2007.AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)   (Associated Press)
Former Tennessee senator Fred Thompson, pauses during his address to the Mackinac Republican Leadership Conference on Mackinac Island, Mich., Saturday, Sept. 22, 2007.AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)   (Associated Press)
Republican presidential hopeful, former Sen. Fred Thompson, R-Tenn., delivers remarks to the National Rifle Association in Washington, Friday, Sept. 21, 2007. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)   (Associated Press)
Republican presidential hopeful, former Sen. Fred Thompson, R-Tenn., delivers remarks to the National Rifle Association in Washington, Friday, Sept. 21, 2007. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)   (Associated Press)
Republican presidential hopeful Fred Thompson campaigns in his hometown of Lawrenceburg, Tenn., Saturday, Sept. 15, 2007. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)   (Associated Press)
Republican presidential hopeful Fred Thompson listens to a reporter's question during a news conference in a hanger at Love Field in Dallas, Thursday, Sept. 20, 2007. (AP Photo/LM Otero)   (Associated Press)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
Our editors also recommend:

Threads (1 of 3)

Tags

Republicans  • religion  • Fred Thompson  • gay marriage  • evangelicals  • religious right  • James Dobson  • Republican evangelicals  • Republican voters  • Focus on the Family


Loading...

Loading...

Today's Most Popular


Other Politics Stories

What is Newser?

2008 Codie Finalist

Newser gives you more news in less time. We search for the best and most important stories all over the web, read them for you, and deliver concise and sharp summaries—along with links to the full text. Newser provides a way to stay on top of an ever-expanding horizon of news and opinion—politics, sports, business, trends, technology, personalities, crimes, and controversies. Newser keeps you not just better informed, but, with our signature graphic interface and smart condensed format, more enjoyably informed.

Learn more »