THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, May 4, 1996 TAG: 9605040365
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ROBERT LITTLE, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Medium: 51 lines
The Christian Coalition will undertake its largest-ever phone and mail campaign this summer and fall, in preparation for November's presidential and congressional elections, the group's chairman said Friday.
The coalition's executive director, Ralph Reed Jr., said the organization plans to mail 45 million voting guides and make personal contact with 10 million voters through massive phone banks before what he called ``the most important election of our lifetime.''
Reed promised the voting guides would be non-partisan - a claim that has sparked controversy in the past because of the group's tax-exempt status. While not endorsing specific candidates, the coalition lobbies in support of conservative Christian issues - which are almost invariably carried by Republicans.
This year's race, the first federal election since the 1994 Republican takeover in Congress, will test whether the GOP victories are a fluke, he said. ``Our goal is the largest turnout of religious Americans in history,'' he said.
Reed spoke Friday night at a dinner meeting of about 500 Christian Coalition supporters at the Founder's Inn and Conference Center. The event, held mostly for members in Virginia and North Carolina, was billed as a type of briefing in advance of the 1996 presidential, congressional and local elections. The event also was a pitch to finance the group's campaign, which Reed said will cost more then $5 million.
The keynote speaker: Gov. George F. Allen, who received a standing ovation for turning down almost $7 million in federal education money that he says would give Washington bureaucrats influence in Virginia classrooms. Rejection of the Goals 2000 money has been a rallying cry for conservatives.
Cause for other ovations: When Coalition founder Pat Robertson suggested that the federal Department of Education be abolished, that National Endowment for the Arts funding be eliminated and that Planned Parenthood be de-funded.
Friday's dinner followed a series of meetings and seminars throughout the day. Those meetings were closed to the press. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by CHRISTOPHER REDDICK, The Virginian-Pilot
Gov. George Allen spoke Friday at a Christian Coalition meeting in
Virginia Beach. The event was the kickoff for the group's largest
phone and mail campaign, an effort to mobilize Christian voters for
this year's elections.
by CNB