How Duck Dynasty is getting out the conservative vote in the 2014 midterms

Control of the Senate could very well come down to voter turnout on Election Day, which means both Republicans and Democrats are revving up massive get-out-the-vote operations to push voters to the polls. Mother Jones has an interesting story today showing how the GOP is relying on the star power of celebrity evangelicals, such as the members of the Duck Dynasty reality television show, to inspire base voters to cast their ballots.

The focus of these efforts, organized by churches and Christian groups, is to present Christianity as under siege:

During one recent event, which was shown in churches across the nation, speakers likened the situation of U.S. churchgoers to Christians beheaded by ISIS in Syria. "We see the struggle between good and evil, light and darkness, truth and lies," said David Benham, whose planned HGTV reality show was canceled after his fiercely anti-gay remarks came to light. "What's happening with swords over in the Middle East is happening with silence over here in America." [Mother Jones]

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.