Support for an Evangelical Republican

For the first time, I’m throwing my support to a Republican candidate, and an Evangelical preacher at that.

Last week I attended the Eureka Indivisible-sponsored event where Pastor Robb Ryerse was invited to speak at the Unitarian Church. Ryerse is running as an independent Republican, challenging Congressman Steve Womack (R) for his seat in the 2018 primary next May.

Skeptical, I sat and listened to the father of three who recently moved to Fayetteville, Ark., to start a church and get involved in our political system. He talked about healthcare for all citizens, his support of Planned Parenthood, how abstinence only education was failing, and how he’d advocate for the environment and protect LGBT rights.

He sounded more like Bernie Sanders than any Republican I’ve ever heard speak, or Democrat for that matter, in this state.

Arkansas, a very Red state in a Fox News induced state, has a slim chance of electing a Democrat to Congress. As Womack loves to point out, he won with 72 percent of the vote and everyone else can just go @#$% themselves if they don’t like it. (I’m paraphrasing.)

His wins, of course, came before many of his constituents woke up to the fact their healthcare was in jeopardy, that 20 million people nationwide would lose coverage, and most anyone with pre-existing conditions would be priced out of insurance markets. Grandma in the nursing home and rural hospitals would suffer while the very rich got a big fat tax cut.

Progressives in Arkansas are optimistic that the healthcare backlash will get apathetic Democrats to the polls in 2018 and that many of Womack’s supporters will see through his love of country, god and guns scam.

But will that be enough? Arkansas is one of 15 states that holds “open primaries,” which means you can vote in either party’s primary, and which brings me back to Robb Ryerse.

Voter turnout for primary elections is notoriously low and if enough turned-off Republicans and emboldened Democrats and Independents came out in force and threw their support to Ryerse we could send Womack and his ultra-conservative agenda home packing in May.

It’s a strategy that could very well work if Democratic parties around the district could agree and enthusiastically endorse it. Those Democrats and Independents who shudder at the thought of pulling the lever for a Republican could still vote their conscience and Democratic nominee in November.

The best-case scenario is we get rid of Womack and elect in November either Democratic hopeful Josh Mahony or a progressive Republican who actually follows the teachings of Christ.

A non-partisan grassroots effort like no other.