Christian Conservative's Move To Take Over Ohio
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http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/27/politics/27OHIO.html?
March 27, 2005
Movement in the Pews Tries to Jolt Ohio
By JAMES DAO
COLUMBUS, Ohio - Christian conservative leaders from scores of Ohio's
fastest growing churches are mounting a campaign to win control of local
government posts and Republican organizations, starting with the 2006
governor's race.
In a manifesto that is being circulated among church leaders and on the
Internet, the group, which is called the Ohio Restoration Project, is
planning to mobilize 2,000 evangelical, Baptist, Pentecostal and Roman
Catholic leaders in a network of so-called Patriot Pastors to register half
a million new voters, enlist activists, train candidates and endorse
conservative causes in the next year.
The initial goal is to elect Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell, a
conservative Republican, governor in 2006. The group hopes to build
grass-roots organizations in Ohio's 88 counties and take control of local
Republican organizations.
"The establishment of the Ohio Republican Party is out of touch with its
base," said Russell Johnson, the pastor of the Fairfield Christian Church
and the principal organizer of the project. "It acts as if it lives in
Boston, Mass."
Pastor Johnson's challenge to the party establishment could have
far-reaching consequences in a state dominated by Republican elected
officials but still considered a bellwether in presidential politics.
Conservatives in other swing states are watching closely.
"In Ohio, the church is awakening to its historic role as the moral voice in
the community," said Colin A. Hanna, president of Let Freedom Ring, a
conservative group based in Pennsylvania that trains ministers in political
activism. "Ohio is in the vanguard of that nationally. I very much want
Pennsylvania to be with them."
The church leaders say they will try to harness the energy of religious
conservatives who were vital not only to Mr. Bush's narrow victory in Ohio
but also to passage of an amendment to the state constitution banning
same-sex marriage. The amendment, known as Issue 1, was credited with
drawing large numbers of rural and suburban conservatives to the polls and
increasing Mr. Bush's support among urban blacks.
"We're calling people to act, not just wring their hands in the pews," said
Rod Parsley, senior pastor of the World Harvest Church outside Columbus, who
is considered a rising star in the religious broadcasting world and will be
an inspirational speaker for the project. "We got people motivated last
