Stem-Cell Research and Missouri "Patriot Pastors" Update

As we reported before, Texas "Patriot Pastors" pioneer and full-time activist Rick Scarborough is looking to spread the model to Missouri, where votes will decide a stem-cell research ballot measure. And, with a six-figure budget, he's bringing right-wing superstar Alan Keyes for a series of rallies across the state. Now Scarborough's Vision America has the details:

Monday, July 31st - Jefferson City-Columbia Rally Christians against Human Cloning Rally 7:00 PM - Concord Baptist Church Dr. Alan Keyes and Dr. Rick Scarborough 5:00 PM Complimentary Dinner for Pastors and wives Thursday, August 17 - Cape Girardeau Rally Christians against Human Cloning Rally 7:00 PM - Notre Dame Christian High School Gym Dr. Alan Keyes and Dr. Rick Scarborough 5:00 PM Complimentary Dinner for Pastors and wives Monday, August 28 - St. Louis Rally Christians against Human Cloning Rally 7:00 PM - Life Christian Church Dr. Alan Keyes, Archbishop Burke, Dr. Rick Scarborough 5:00 PM Complimentary Dinner for Pastors and wives Pending - Kansas City Rally Pending - Springfield Rally

While the "Patriot Pastor" movements in Ohio, Texas, and Pennsylvania work on some level in support of candidates for elected office, Republican Sen. Jim Talent's shilly-shallying on the Missouri stem-cell issue may have cost him the kind of grassroots network operating on behalf of Ohio gubernatorial candidate Ken Blackwell or Texas Gov. Rick Perry. Unfortunately for Talent--who voted against the federal stem-cell bill and recently came to oppose the Missouri one, but is not actively working against it--he is facing criticism from the both the right wing and the center. The Washington Times cites Talent's dead-even re-election race as an example of the political cost of opposing widely-popular embryonic stem-cell research.