Former Minnesotan to run Christian Coalition reboot

The Christian Coalition is making a comeback thanks to former Minnesota campaign strategist, Jack St. Martin. St. Martin and former Christian Coalition head Ralph Reed have launched the Faith and Freedom Coalition, a new group that’s been described as the “Christian Coalition 2.0.”

The new organization will feature Reed as the group’s head, and St. Martin will run the day-to-day operations.

“This is not your daddy’s Christian Coalition,” Reed told U.S. News and World Report. “It’s got to be more brown, more black, more female, and younger. It’s critical that we open the door wide and let them know if they share our values and believe in the principles of faith and marriage and family, they’re welcome.”

St. Martin got his start in Minnesota politics, most notably in 1990 working for then Sen. Rudy Boschwitz in his campaign against Paul Wellstone. He has a long history of working in Republican and religious-right circles, including past jobs as Director of the Grassroots Development Division at the Republican National Committee, National Field Director for the Christian Coalition and Executive Director of Americans of Faith.

Reed says the new version of the Christian Coalition will be grassroots driven — which is why he and St. Martin are currently the only paid staff.