NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--Despite media speculation to the contrary, three new polls show that evangelicals, including Southern Baptist pastors, support Republican John McCain over Democrat Barack Obama by wide margins.
The polls were released as Obama courts Christian leaders and voters in hopes of cutting into what has traditionally been a Republican stronghold. During the Democratic primary, Obama's campaign released a flyer in conservative Kentucky showing him at a pulpit, with a cross in the background, quoting him as saying, "I won't be fulfilling God's will unless I go out and do the Lord's work." The flyer called Obama a "committed Christian."
But, so far, Obama's outreach hasn't put a significant dent in McCain's support among evangelicals. For instance: 80 percent of Southern Baptist pastors plan to vote for McCain and only 1 percent for Obama, according to a poll of 778 pastors conducted...