U.S. evangelicals beat bushes for voters

WASHINGTON, Aug. 15 (UPI) -- U.S. evangelical groups have begun targeting eight states in a bid to register more Republican voters ahead of November's congressional elections.

The national conservative Focus on the Family group in Colorado is spearheading the drive for voters in Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Tennessee, The Los Angeles Times reported Tuesday.

The program was announced in an e-mail message to activists last week.

"In 2004, about 25 million evangelicals failed to vote. Now is the time to reverse the trend," the message said.

However, the Rev. Barry Lynn, executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, called the voter registration drive a "blatant effort ... to build a partisan political machine based in churches."

Organizers of the drive claim they legally focus on registering voters and discussions of values, but do not endorse a specific candidate or party.