{"id":1018,"date":"2018-05-27T14:02:43","date_gmt":"2018-05-27T18:02:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.gopplaybook.com\/?p=1018"},"modified":"2018-05-28T14:07:31","modified_gmt":"2018-05-28T18:07:31","slug":"the-evangelical-fight-to-win-back-california","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gopplaybook.com\/?p=1018","title":{"rendered":"The Evangelical Fight to Win Back California"},"content":{"rendered":"
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By\u00a0Elizabeth Dias May 27, 2018<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Franklin Graham wants Christians to run for city council seats, mayor and every level of government to help effect change in California.\u00a0<\/span>Credit\u00a0<\/span>Rozette Rago for The New York Times<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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PASADENA, Calif. \u2014 Franklin Graham stood in a packed locker room at the Rose Bowl, surrounded by fellow evangelists, pastors, and his top Los Angeles donors. It was two weeks before the California primary, and Mr. Graham was urging them to take a stand against their state\u2019s \u201cblue wall.\u201d<\/p>\n

The blue wall of California, Mr. Graham told the gathering, represents secular values that have taken root on the country\u2019s west coast.<\/p>\n

\u201cProgressive?\u201d he went on, \u201cThat\u2019s just another word for godless.\u201d Now is the time for churches to \u201csuck it up\u201d and vote.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re tired of being stepped on,\u201d Felix Martin del Campo, a board member of\u00a0Samaritan\u2019s Purse<\/a>, Mr. Graham\u2019s international humanitarian organization, said in an interview as the meeting ended and worship music played. \u201cOnly as we change the heart of the people of California can California go red again.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Mr. Graham, the son of the late Billy Graham and one of the leading figures in evangelical Christianity, is going straight for that heart.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n