Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, September 10, 1993 TAG: 9309100255
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
As a first test of a new outreach effort, the Christian Coalition said Thursday it would spend at least $100,000 on radio ads and literature to lobby blacks and Hispanics in California to support a "school choice" voucher initiative on the November ballot.
Beyond that, Robertson lieutenant Ralph Reed said the survey results would serve as the guide for an aggressive 1994 effort to target black and Hispanic voters through their churches. The Christian Coalition is trying to diversify its predominantly white, evangelical Protestant membership.
"The Democratic Party and the civil rights establishment are out of step with minorities on virtually every issue," Reed said. The Christian Coalition, he said, "has real potential for growth in this previously ignored community."
Democratic National Committee spokeswoman Catherine Moore disputed his contentions.
"The Democratic Party has a long history of addressing the needs and concerns of a broad coalition of Americans," she said. "That the support of this broad coalition exists demonstrates that they believe their concerns are addressed in the Democratic Party agenda."
To support his view, Reed released a national survey that compared the views of 500 whites, 500 Hispanics and 500 blacks. It found shared conservative views, he said. For example, more than 80 percent in each group supported voluntary prayer in schools. Nearly 60 percent of blacks, Hispanics and whites also said they opposed taxpayer funding of elective abortions as part of health-care reform.
Significant majorities of blacks, Hispanics and whites also approved denying parole to repeat violent offenders and subjecting convicted murderers to the death penalty, the survey found.
by CNB