The 'Ground Zero mosque' and the midterm elections

The GOP may be able to capitalize on the controversial mosque as a campaign issue. Will they choose to do so?

Pedestrians walk by the proposed site for an Islamic center and mosque in New York City.
(Image credit: Getty)

The contentious Islamic community center planned for downtown Manhattan was a conservative talking point even before President Obama ventured into the debate over the weekend. With the 2010 midterm elections getting into full swing, the Republicans now seem ready to amp up the rhetoric and turn the so-called "Ground Zero Mosque" into a campaign issue: Nevada senate candidate Sharron Angle and Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) have already made statements criticizing their opponents for not coming out against it. Could the polarizing question offer a boost to the GOP in November?

Please don't make this an issue: I have a message for Republicans thinking of taking electoral advantage of the mosque controversy, says Mark Halperin at Time. "Please don't do it." Such a fight would stir up the type of inflammatory bigotry that only serves to aid "the very extreme and violent jihadists we can all claim as our true enemy." The GOP has a strong chance of winning in November without "picking a fight" over Islam. "Do the right thing."

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