March 12, 2007

Blogger Spotlight: Evangelicals for Mitt

Nancy French volunteered to represent Evangelicals for Mitt for our continued run through unofficial WH '08 candidate blogs. We've got bloggers for Gingrich, Romney and Obama lined up all week so if you blog in support of another candidate and want to see your guy represented, please let us know. Tomorrow we talk to Jeremy Cluchey of Obamarama.

What is your full name?

Nancy Jane French

What is your age?

32

What's your hometown?

Paris, Tennessee

Where do you live now?

Columbia, Tennessee

What is your educational background?

I studied philosophy at David Lipscomb University and New York University

What is your occupation?

Author of “Red State of Mind: How a Catfish Queen Reject Became a Liberty Belle”

When did you first get involved in politics and why?

I’ve always been interested in Tennessee politics, so I took an unpaid internship with Lamar Alexander’s pre-Presidential campaign organization called the “Republican Exchange Satellite Network” back in 1994. I answered phones, made copies, and entered data. The highlight of my time was going to the Christmas party at the Alexander’s home, where Lamar wore his ill-advised plaid tuxedo and played carols on the piano. It also was the first time I ever heard the words “Mitt Romney.” We were closely following all the races across the country, and I distinctly remember someone in the Alexander office explaining a guy named Mitt was “taking one for the team” up in Massachusetts. We were amazed that he ended up actually giving Ted Kennedy a run for his money. That Senate race stuck with me for many years… little did I know twelve years later, I’d be writing so much about this “guy named Mitt.”

When did you start blogging and why?

We started EvangelicalsforMitt in June of 2006, after we saw first hand the excitement that many Southern Christian voters had about Gov. Romney. He placed second at the Southern Republican Leadership Conference’s straw poll held in Memphis (after only Tennessee’s own son Bill Frist, meaning he beat every current candidate). We thought it’d be interesting to explore his candidacy through the lens of our faith.

How will blogs impact WH '08?

Blogs allows regular voters like us to communicate to other voters, without interference from the MSM. When the AP’s Glen Johnson and Jennifer Dobner recently wrote a heavy handed piece on Gov. Romney’s ancestors, for example, blogs allowed voters to directly communicate with each other... nullifying the desired effect of the article. In other words, the MSM has much less punch, and correct information can reach the monitors of millions of Americans before Matt Lauer can reach their television screens. In fact, before he’s even had his morning cup of coffee.

What's your favorite most unsung specific example of a blogger affecting a political figure, organization, philosophy, or movement?

I hope EvangelicalsforMitt has helped shape the debate around Gov. Romney’s perceived Mormon problem. While everyone associated with our site is an evangelical Christian, we’ve had the chance to have some interesting debates with people of other faiths. Most importantly, however, we’ve had the chance to talk to other Evangelicals about the next possible occupant of the White House. And, for this rural Tennessee mother of two (who lives so far out she can’t get pizza delivered), that’s quite an honor.

Posted by Conn Carroll at March 12, 2007 04:15 PM