ABSTRACT
Before the 2000 elections, political scientists who studied the Christian Right generally agreed on three things. First, one of the major strengths of the movement was its strong organization, which was evident at the state, local, and sometimes even precinct level. Second, the movement was populated with political “purists” who would rather back a candidate whose views fully matched their own than support a candidate who could win an election but whose stands on key issues were “soft.” Finally, the movement had its greatest successes in mobilizing voters in general elections, when it could contrast the positions of liberal Democrats with conservative Republicans, but was generally less successful in GOP primary elections in which the choice was between conservatives of various ideological flavors.
