Ted Haggard's problems decribed in this article had no effect on this election whatsoever.
Every little bit hurts, but I think that the point of the article is that Haggard's attacks om parts of the GOP agenda is the reason while evangelical support of the GOP went down.
I believe that Ted Haggard's push to change the direction of the Evangelical Movement did have some effect. He turned some to a new set of beliefs that are more compatible with the Democrats. His failures as a leader might have effected some votes, but I sort of doubt it. Christians of many ilks recognize that the sin of one man is the sin of one man. If steps are taken, then the one bad apple will not spoil the basket.
I don't know how much of the Evangelical Movement he effected. But with margins as narrow as they were, even a small effect across the country could have been the difference.
In 1992, George Bush 41 turned off the Republicans by trying to get along with the Democrats. He lost to Clinton. In 1996, there were stories that got circulated about Dole that he was pro-abortion. I heard these stories here in Tennessee and know people that did not vote because they figured both men were bad. This included Catholics and Evangelicals.
What is the moral of my bit of thinking? The Republicans need to choose candidates that have a strong moral backbone and act like Republicans. Conservatives and Evangelicals are both looking for someone they feel they can trust.
Have you looked at the exit poll responses?
I wonder WHY Ted was so pro-Environmentalism.
Surely he had some alterior motive.
Perhaps he aspired to some political office and was trying to garner support from liberals.
Who knows.
Sounds like he was full of himself, making threats to turn evangelicals against the Republicans.
God allowed him to fall.
Reminds me of the fall of Jimmy Swaggart.