"Richard Viguerie, direct mail expert of the New Right, credits Weyrich and Phillips with persuading ministers Jerry Falwell, Jim Robison, and Pat Robertson to get involved in convervative politics (Viguerie, 1980: 56). "

From ............. New Christian Politics

Edited by Bromley & Shupe

Published by Mercer University Press- Macon Ga - 1984

ISBN 0-86554-115-9

MOBILIZING CHRISTIANS FOR POLITICAL ACTION:

CAMPAIGNING WITH GOD ON YOUR SIDE

By Margaret Ann Latus ........ Princeton University

"The New Christian Right attempted to exert influence in the 1980 and 1982 elections through efforts ranging from voter registration drives to independent publicity campaigns on behalf of candidates. Subsequent scholarly interest in the New Christian Right in elections has focused on the Moral Majority, the Religious Roundtable, or the National Christian Action coalition, even though the are lobbying organizations whose principle focus is not direct electoral activity. Few have considered how Christian Political Action committees (PACs) attempt to influence federal elections, although these are the organizations most qualified legally to be active in political campaigns on behalf of the New Christian Right"

page 255 ................. THE POLITICAL POWER OF THE NCR

.................... TACTICAL SIMILARITIES AND SHARED EXPERIENCE

Little is new about the strategic decisions PACs make or the technology at their disposal. Christian PACs have learned the tricks of the trade quickly, largely because of the mentors in the secular right.

"To a remarkable extent, the Christian activist have found skilled allies in one and only one place, among one and only one group of organizations - - the groups loosely known as the New Right" (Marshner, 1980:iii).

Two principle consultants are Paul Weyrich, National Director of the Committee for the Survival of a Free Congress, and Howard Phillips, founder of the Conservative Caucus (Keller, 1980: 2,629).

Weyrich prompted Robert Billings to start a group in Washington to represent conservative Christians, a suggestion which led to the National Christian Action Coalition. Phillips in turn hired Edward McAteer as his field director before McAteer left to found Roundtable.

Together these four men cemented ties to most of the key evangelical preachers now in the New Christian Right (Cleninen, 1980: B7).

Richard Viguerie, direct mail expert of the New Right, credits Weyrich and Phillips with persuading ministers Jerry Falwell, Jim Robison, and Pat Robertson to get involved in convervative politics (Viguerie, 1980: 56).

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