Foley scandal costs GOP religious support

PRINCETON, N.J., Oct. 12 (UPI) -- A new Gallup poll finds that with control of the U.S. Congress at stake next month, Republicans have lost significant ground with religious whites.

The party had an average 23-point advantage among regular churchgoers in three polls during the summer. In the one taken last week, the group is evenly split, Gallup reported.

In this survey, the electorate was divided into three groups -- whites who attend church at least once a month, whites who attend church less than once a month and all others. The Democratic Party made gains between September and October among all three groups, but the shift was the most marked among religious whites.

Frank Newport, the poll's editor-in-chief, said the most likely reason for the drop in support for the Republicans among churchgoers is the scandal about Rep. Mark Foley, who has resigned.

In addition to the revelations of the Florida Republican's allegedly inappropriate advances to male congressional pages, Republicans have been dogged by allegations that House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., and other leaders knew of his behavior and covered it up.