Republicans and Evangelicals | Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker/ What Happened to the Gang (part 1)
About this episode
The episode discusses Pat Robertson's 1988 presidential campaign and its impact on American politics and evangelical voters.
Give to help Chris make Truce. Pat Robertson’s bid for the 1988 Republican presidential nomination (often discussed in 1989 contexts because of its aftermath) marked a notable moment in American politics, as a prominent televangelist moved out of religious broadcasting and directly into the national political arena. After building a large following through his Christian Broadcasting Network and The 700 Club, Robertson formally entered the Republican primary race in late 1987, having first set an unusual condition for his candidacy: he would run only if three million Americans pledged support through petitions to pray, work and contribute to his campaign—an effort that succeeded and gave him a built-in grassroots base. His platform blended standard conservative Republican positions—such as lower taxes and strong defense—with a strong emphasis on social and moral issues informed by his evangelical Christian worldview. During the 1988 primary season, Robertson surprised many political observers by finishing second in the Iowa caucuses, ahead of Vice President George H.W. Bush and indicating the mobilizing power of evangelical voters in early nominating contests. However, he…
People in this episode
Host: Chris Staron
Topics covered
- evangelical politics
- televangelism
- Republican primary
- 1988 election
- Christian influence
- grassroots movements
Keywords
- Pat Robertson
- 1988 election
- evangelicals
- Republican primary
- Christian Broadcasting Network
- grassroots support
- televangelism
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Christian Broadcasting Network, The 700 Club
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