It's vile and it's more of a factor in the GOP race than some might want to think. I'm not surprised, though. The Rove GOP has encouraged explicitly religious criteria for policies and candidates. Why would this strategy not backfire against a non-evangelical Christian? Money quote:
The most recent example came to light earlier this week when the Washington Post reported that Emma Nemecek, an Iowa field operative for Senator Sam Brownback of Kansas, had recently forwarded an e-mail to Iowa Republicans containing a number of criticisms of Mormonism, including a charge that it is not a Christian faith. The e-mail closed with a quote from a Founding Father, John Jay: "Providence has given to our people the choice of their rulers, and it is the duty as well as the privilege and interest of our Christian nation to select and prefer Christians for their rulers."
Brownback has condemned it. But he can't stop it.
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