Rev. Sheldon Supports Dole; Group Mails Voter’s Guides

Saying he was personally supporting GOP presidential candidate Bob Dole, the Rev. Louis P. Sheldon of the Traditional Values Coalition announced Friday that his organization has sent nearly half a million voter’s guides to churches around the state.

The coalition, a nonprofit corporation, has distributed voter’s guides to churches since 1982. Although not aligned with any political party, Sheldon and his coalition lobby for conservative Christian issues and take positions on major ballot measures.

Without endorsing any individual, the eight-page, broad-sheet voter’s guide lists candidates from both parties for president, Congress and state Senate and Assembly. According to voting records or questionnaires filled out by the candidates, each politician’s position is listed on such issues as abortion, homosexuality, same-sex marriage and educational choice.

“We have every right not to leave our convictions on the curbside,” said Sheldon, noting that circulation of the voter’s guide has increased by 15% during each election year. “It’s important that this nation return to its moral foundations.”

The voter’s guides, which cost the coalition nearly $75,000 to print and mail, were sent to 14,000 churches statewide, according to Sheldon.

Sheldon is currently lobbying for passage of a bill that would prohibit California from recognizing same-sex marriage.

Saying the state “has no vested interest in altering the current system of man-woman marriage,” the voter’s guide asks recipients to sign a petition in support of the bill, authored by Assemblyman William J. Knight (R-Palmdale).

“We believe that the heterosexual family is one of the strongest stabilizing pillars in society, and all attempts to attack and redefine the family should be vigorously opposed,” the voter’s guide states.

In addition to announcing his personal support for Dole, Sheldon said he also favored candidate Jim Beam, a former Orange mayor who is running in a five-candidate GOP field for the seat being vacated by Assemblyman Mickey Conroy (R-Orange).