The theocrats thrive

Cynthia Tucker
Universal Press Syndicate
07.24.06

Don't let Reed's loss fool you; 'agents of intolerance' still own GOP

Religious extremists have powerful political allies Last week, Ralph Reed, once the golden boy of hard-core religious conservatives, was defeated in Georgia's Republican primary for lieutenant governor, his first attempt at elective office. Because he rose to prominence as the cherubic face of the Christian Coalition, his political remains have been autopsied by pundits nationwide, some of whom are speculating that the cause of death was the more general demise of America's theocrats.

But they're wrong. Reed lost because his hypocrisy on the issue of gambling became too glaring for his ultraconservative constituents to ignore. While he was recruited by disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff to work against gambling initiatives in Alabama, the project was largely funded by the Mississippi Band of Choctaws, which wanted to protect its casinos from competition.