His leading role as a congressional opponent of abortion has won him strong supporters, including, in past elections, the vote of some socially conservative Democrats. But that high-profile stance has also generated opposition, including among some of the socially liberal Republicans in a state in which the last two Republicans elected to statewide positions, Sen. Arlen Specter, and former Gov. Tom Ridge supported abortion rights.
His identification with strong conservative positions on issues ranging from congressional intervention in the Terri Schiavo case to the teaching of intelligent design as an alternative to theory of evolution added to his polarizing image with some voters.
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Social and cultural issues: The Christian Right has hijacked the Republican agenda. From attempts at regulating America's behavior in the bedroom to the shameful interference in the pathetic story of Terry Schiavo and the attacks on Michael J. Fox over embryonic stem cell research, the GOP has become the handmaiden of the fundamentalists.
Many, and perhaps most, Americans don't think the government has any business in such matters.
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