"Simmering Anger may Drive Religious Right back to Polls"

(Excerpts) Angry over health care reform and the abortion fight it reinvigorated, worried about the expansion of gay rights and frustrated by President Obama's criticisms of Israel, religious conservatives are eager to play a key role in the outcome of the 2010 midterm elections.

"There certainly seems to be a lot of anecdotal evidence that the Christian right is more energized this year," said Tony Perkins, president of the conservative Family Research Council in Washington.



"It's almost like we're witnessing a complete mirror image of 2008, when all the passion was among young voters, minorities and first-time voters," said Mr. Bauer. "Now that energy is with conservatives and older voters. ... There's tremendous intensity out there."

It's a game plan that dozens of Democratic and Republican Party candidates across the country are hoping will swing the religious conservatives to their side this fall.

"People in this country are angry to the point that they are motivated to make a change," said the Rev. Luke J. Robinson, one of several black religious leaders who were part of a group of clergy on Capitol Hill last week to criticize the proposed repeal of the ban on gays serving openly in the military.

Mr. Robinson said he has a sense that his congregation is energized.

"There's a lot of outrage at this administration," he said.     Source