If anyone thinks that the religious right’s influence on elections has waned they are living in a dream.¬† In fact it’stronger now than ever.¬†¬† James Dobson, of Focus on the Family will not be supporting Fred Thompson’s run for the Presidency.

“James Dobson, head of the influential Focus on the Family Ministry will be taking a pass on supporting Fred Thompson. You can read why below from The Associated Press and then get my take afterwards:

In a private e-mail obtained Wednesday by The Associated Press, Dobson accuses the former Tennessee senator and actor of being weak on the campaign trail and wrong on issues dear to social conservatives.

“Isn’t Thompson the candidate who is opposed to a Constitutional amendment to protect marriage, believes there should be 50 different definitions of marriage in the U.S., favors McCain-Feingold, won’t talk at all about what he believes, and can’t speak his way out of a paper bag on the campaign trail?” Dobson wrote.

“He has no passion, no zeal, and no apparent ‘want to.’ And yet he is apparently the Great Hope that burns in the breasts of many conservative Christians? Well, not for me, my brothers. Not for me!”"

As you know he has passed on every other candidate except Mike Huckabee and Mitt Romney. ¬† Huckabee hasn’t a chance, and Mitt - well, it’s that mormon thing.¬† Fact is that outside of Huckebee not one of the candidates shows up as a front runner for the evangelical right.

Still it is early and as I’ve been saying on the MacRanger Show and this blog once January gets here you’ll see things change a bit.