The Rise of the Religious Right in the Republican Party

Christian Coalition Rating of the United States Senate, 2001 (2003 scorecards not available yet jb)

Family Research Council Rating of the United States Senate, 2003

While the two organizations were rating different issues, the scores still give you a sense of the Senate. Three liberal to moderate Democrats -- the late Paul Wellstone, Jean Carnahan, and Max Cleland were all replaced by Republicans who received 100% from FRC. One moderate Democrat, Pryor beat Hutchinson, a conservative Republican. 29 Republicans received 100% from Christian Coalition in 2001. 38 Republicans received 100% from Family Research Council 1n 2003. No Democrats received 100% from either group, but one received 80 from Christian Coalition, and 3 from Family Research Council.

Members of Congress were rated by Christian Coalitin on votes for campaign finance reform (CC is against), a human cloning bill (CC is against), school vouchers (CC is for), abortion restrictions (CC is for), funding of foreign abortions (CC is against), estate taxes and the marriage tax, (CC is against) income tax reduction, (CC is for), the faith based community act, (CC is for) and an "unborn victims of violence act," (CC is for). [The "unborn victims of violence act," is part of the Religious Right strategy to make abortion illegal. If the Supreme Court overturns Roe V. Wade and questions of reporductive rights are settled in the states, then, if the fetus has been declared an "unborn victim of violence," abortion could become illegal for all the states as well.]

Family Research Council rated members on partial birth abortion, affirming Roe V. Wade, ending the Democratic filibuster of judicial nominations, limiting abstinence funds for global aids relief, allowing abortions on military bases, and allowing federal money to support abortions internationally (global gag rule). Their position is always against any form of abortion and in favor of abstinence.

Christian Coalition, 2001, is the number on the left. Family Research Council, 2003, is the number on the right.

  R - Murkowski   100    (Lisa replaced father) 57

  R - Stevens   80  57

  R - Shelby   100        100

  R - Sessions   100       100

  R - Hutchinson   100  Lost to Pryor (D)     43

  D - Lincoln   20       14

  R - Kyl   100         100

  R - McCain   60        100

  D - Feinstein   20        0

  D - Boxer   0        0

  R - Campbell   100       71

  R - Allard   100       100

  D - Lieberman   20       0

  D - Dodd   20       0

  D - Biden   0       0

  D - Carper   20        14

  D - Graham   0       0

  D - Nelson   0       14

  D - Cleland   20   Lost to Chambliss - R       100

  D - Miller   60       80

  D - Inouye   0       0

  D - Akaka    0       0

  R - Grassley   100       100

  D - Harkin   0        0

  R - Crapo   80       100

  R - Craig   100       100

  R - Fitzgerald   80       100

  D - Durbin   0       0

  R - Lugar   80       

  D - Bayh   0       

  R - Brownback   100       100

  R - Roberts   100       100

  R - Bunning   100       100

  R - McConnell   100       86

  D - Breaux   80       86

  D - Landrieu    20       14

  R - Snowe    40       29

  R - Collins   60       29

  D - Kerry    0       0

  D - Kennedy   0       0

  D - Mikulski   0       0

  D - Sarbanes   0       0

  D - Levin   0       0

  D - Stabenow   0       0

  D - Wellstone   0  Died in plane crash just before election. Norm Coleman (R)  100

  D - Dayton     0           0

  D - Carnahan   40 lost in 2002 to Jim Talent (R).     100

  R - Bond   80           100

  R - Lott   100          100

  R - Cochran   80          100

  R - Burns    80          100

  D - Baucus   20          0

  R - Helms   100 Retired, replaced by Elizabeth Dole (R)    100

  D - Edwards      0       0

  D - Dorgan   40            29

  D - Conrad   40            29

  D - Nelson   60            86

  R - Hagel   60            100

  R - Smith   100 Lost in 2002 primary to Sunnunu (R).      100

  R - Gregg   100            100

  D - Torricelli   20 (replaced by Laudenburg - D)      0

  D - Corzine   0            14

  R - Domenici   80            86

  D - Bingaman   0            0

  D - Reid   0            43

  R - Ensign   100            100

  D - Schumer   0            14

  D - Clinton   0            14

  R - DeWine   80            100

  R - Voinovich   80            100

  R - Inhofe   100            100

  R - Nickles   100            100

  R - Smith   80            86

  D - Wyden   0            0

  R - Santorum   100            100

  R - Specter   40            43

  D - Reed     0          0

  R - Chafee   20            29

  R - Thurmond   100 Retired, replaced by Graham (R)      100

  D - Hollings   40            29

  D - Daschle   0            14

  D - Johnson    40            14

  R - Frist   100            100

  R - Thompson   80 Retired, replaced by Alexander (R)      100

  R - Graham   100  Retired. Replaced by Cornyn     100

  R - Hutchison   100            86

  R - Hatch   100            100

  R - Bennett   100            100

  R - Warner   100            71

  R - Allen   100            100

  I - Jeffords   40            14

  D - Leheay   0            14

  D - Murray   0            14

  D - Cantwell   0            14

  D - Kohl   20            0

  D - Feingold   20            0

  D - Byrd   60            14

  D - Rockefeller   0            0

  R - Enzi   80            100

  R - Thomas   80            100