For years, whenever the Religious Right felt it was being under appreciated by the Republican Party, leaders would start hinting, and even sometimes openly threatening, that the socially conservative grassroots voters would utterly abandon the GOP for a third party during the next election cycle.
Of course, that never happened and every time an election came around, the Right did what it could to mobilize in support of the Republican Party, despite all its earlier threats and whining.
The one exception that I am aware of what back in 1996 when James Dobson cast a “protest vote” against the Bob Dole, the GOP’s nominee, by voting for Howard Phillips, the nominee of the U.S. Taxpayer’s Party (now known as the Constitution Party).
Since the Religious Right is always threatening to leave the GOP for a third party , it only makes sense that the Constitution Party would try to capitalize on the current discontent and start trying to woo disaffected “values voters” into its camp:
The fastest-growing third party in America, the Constitution Party, will discuss a nationwide effort to encourage Christians to vote “like their faith depended on it.” The CP will host a number of notable values-oriented speakers at its Spring National Committee meeting June 12th and 13th at the Renaissance Newark Airport Hotel . The party will gather to discuss its unprecedented growth which coincides with widespread voter dissatisfaction with the Republican and Democratic parties. The Constitution Party, the only political party in America which is 100% pro-life is challenging all Believers to put an end to the “lesser of two evils” approach to voting.
“Christians must vote their values and leave the results to God,” noted Constitution Party National Committee Chairman Jim Clymer adding, “Our country was founded on Biblical principles, that’s why it was so blessed. Without returning to God’s law, we cannot expect America to change for the better.”
Outside of former Congressman/crackpot Virgil Goode, and professional conspiracy theorist Jerome Corsi, the event doesn’t have any big name draws to speak of.
Nonetheless, it’ll be interesting to see if the Constitution Party’s efforts to win over Christian voters will pay off, especially in light of the on-going tension between the GOP and its right-wing base.
