DeLay's troubles expose rift among evangelicals
One exception has been World Magazine, an evangelical publication that has run a series of articles criticizing Reed.
"Some conservative evangelicals may regard the purpose of our magazine to do public-relations work for Christians," says Editor Marvin Olasky, a former adviser to President Bush. "But as journalists, our goal is to tell the truth. God does not need our public relations."
But the GOP might. Some political experts say scandal-plagued Republican politicians—and the members of the Christian right who champion them—risk alienating the in-the-pews evangelicals who delivered 2 of every 5 votes for George Bush in 2004.
"Christian conservatives put a tremendous stock in morality, not only in regard to abortion but in telling the truth and not stealing," says John Green, a religion and politics expert at University of Akron. "I have noticed some disquiet among the grass-roots activists about Tom DeLay and Ralph Reed."
Of course, so have the Democrats. Sources at the Democratic National Committee say the party's attempt to label GOP ethics scandals as a "culture of corruption" is helping it make inroads among religious voters as the 2006 elections approach.
"Faith voters, a key cohort of Red state swing voters, are now almost evenly dividing their vote for Congress," reads a recent memo from the DNC's chief pollster. "These are the same voters who place issues of morals or values above all else. ... They are increasingly losing faith in Bush and the Republicans in Washington."
But conservative Christian leaders say they will continue to stand by the political figures who have stood by them for so long.
"If they pick a fight with Tom DeLay," the FRC's Perkins said at last year's dinner for DeLay, "they pick a fight with all of us."
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