Republican wins could sap motivation, expert says

[Algorem]

http://www.cleveland.com/newsflash/cleveland/index.ssf?/base/news-20/1129351750113073.xml&storylist=cleveland

10/15/2005, 12:30 a.m. ET
By JOHN McCARTHY
The Associated Press

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A new conservative coalition dedicated to converting people to Christianity, helping the poor and signing up more than 400,000 new voters could have trouble attracting additional supporters because they've already won, a policy expert says.

More than 1,000 people cheered the coalition, known as Reformation Ohio, at a tightly scripted rally reminiscent of a revival meeting at the Statehouse on Friday. Its founder is the Rev. Rod Parsley, pastor of the World Harvest Church in suburban Columbus.

Republicans have a grip on government in Columbus and in Washington and that could stifle the motivation of the faithful, said Mark Rozell, a public policy professor at George Mason University who studies political mobilization by religious groups.

The group's formation comes after last November's election in which Christian conservatives helped pass a gay-marriage ban in Ohio and give President Bush the electoral votes he needed to claim victory...