Scarborough’s Crusades Continue Their Losing Record

As we have chronicled several times in the past, Vision America’s election-related “One Day Crusades” have been plagued by difficulties. When Rick Scarborough first announced his bold “70 Weeks to Save America” tour, the goal was to with the goal of sign up “100,000 Values Voters, 10,000 key leaders, 5,000 Patriot Pastors and 5,000 women” to “vote their Christian values on Election Day 2008.” Since then, its messaging has been, at best, confusing and its efforts to rally supporters have repeatedly run into problems, especially once his partner in the endeavor, Alan Keyes, decided to run for president. But Scarborough forged ahead, opening chapters of Vision America in New Mexico and Kansas and planning scaled-down “One Day Crusades” in both states.

His latest Crusade was held last week for the express purpose of bolstering Phill Kline’s efforts to retain his position as Johnson County District Attorney – as Scarborough said at the time, “It’s the only reason I’m here.” Unfortunately for both Scarborough and Kline, attendance at the event “was the lowest the group has seen” and that lack of enthusiasm seems to have carried over into yesterday’s primary:

A political newcomer knocked Phill Kline out of the race for Johnson County district attorney Tuesday, defeating the hopes of abortion opponents who had campaigned nationwide.

With all of the vote counted, Steve Howe, a former Johnson County prosecutor, trounced Kline with 33,260 votes to Kline’s 22,188, a margin of 60 percent to 40 percent, according to final unofficial returns.

Abortion played a key role in the race because Kline is the first prosecutor since Roe v. Wade to file criminal charges against a Planned Parenthood clinic. The case is pending.

Independent groups from outside Kansas are thought to have spent more than $100,000 to keep Kline’s candidacy alive.