“Religious Right” is the loose term used to describe the conservative Christian element in American politics, which tends to rally around moral issues such as abortion or pornography in the entertainment media. It originally encompassed the Moral Majority, a political advocacy group that was founded by Jerry Falwell in 1979 but disbanded in the late 1980s. The Christian Coalition, headed by Pat Robertson, soon replaced the Moral Majority, and the term “Religious Right” has since been used by the media to refer to the Christian Coalition and to conservative Christian voters in general.

The Religious Right became the focus of national attention during the primary campaigns for the 2000 presidential election. The Republican contest came down to Texas governor George W. Bush, who was perceived as more conservative, and Arizona senator John McCain, who sought to appeal to more moderate...