Religious Right reps. gear up for big push in Mo. legislature

Church & State, Feb 2003

A band of newly elected Religious Right legislators - many affiliated with conservative Baptist churches - is gearing up to push a social-issues agenda in the Missouri legislature.

Seven conservative Baptists were elected to the Missouri House of Representatives in November, reported The Pathway, a Baptist newspaper in the state. The seven join five previously elected Baptists who are expected to join forces with social conservatives from other denominations to push a Religious Right-style agenda.

"We're seeing a bellwether change in Missouri politics," said Rep. Ron Jetton, who serves as speaker pro tem of the House. "I believe we can have a huge impact on legislation."

Continued Jetton, "And I will be working for a constitutional amendment to allow voluntary prayer in schools. I couldn't even get a hearing on this legislation last session."

The social conservatives also plan to push new curbs on abortion and curtail funding for the arts. Rep. Cynthia Davis noted she attended an orientation session in Kansas City after her election.

"They were trying to convince us we need to support the arts and culture," she said. "I told them I didn't understand why we were being asked to support public pornography."

Davis noted that the state is experiencing budgetary woes and added, "I see it as an opportunity to come in and cut and slash programs that are eroding the moral structure of what people have been trying to build."

Several of the representatives said they are convinced that God helped them win.

"I prayed about it," remarked Davis. "And I do believe that God affects the outcome of elections. I believe He puts people in positions in times like this to help shape the future of the state."

Another new representative, Mike Cunningham, said he prayed the "Prayer of Jabez" before starting his campaign.

"The prayer talks about expanding our territory, and I figured this was a way of doing it," he said.