June 19, 2024 10:54 AM UTC

James Dobson Focuses On The Primary, Throws Down For Dave Williams

•  
• by: Colorado Pols

That’s the word in another official email blast this morning from the Colorado Republican Party, retired founder of Colorado Springs’ Focus on the Family religious/political/industrial complex James Dobson is endorsing scandal-plagued party chairman and congressional candidate Dave “Let’s Go Brandon” Williams to succeed the retiring Rep. Doug Lamborn in Congress:

Dr. James Dobson has joined President Donald J. Trump in supporting Chairman Dave Williams.

Dr. Dobson is the foremost national leader, radio host, and advocate for Biblical principles, as well as the Family, and knows Chairman Dave Williams will always fight for our Christian conservative values.

Please read Dr. James Dobson’s statement below.

Respectfully,
Colorado Republicans

Although the controversy over Williams’ recent headline-grabbing attacks on LGBTQ+ Coloradans during Pride Month has resulted in so-far unsuccessful calls for Williams to resign from his position as party chairman, to this biggest of evangelical big guns, that raging controversy is apparently a selling point:

It is my pleasure to be among the many conservatives who are supporting Dave Williams candidacy for U.S. Representative for the 5th District of Colorado.

Dave will steadfastly uphold our Christian conservative values, including the sanctity of life, traditional marriage, and religious liberty. He will be a dedicated advocate for the institution of the family.

For years, I have joined millions of people across America in praying that God would raise-up leaders to restore this great nation. I am excited that Dave answered that call and has stepped up to offer his services to the people of Southern Colorado.

Back in 2005, around the time James Dobson was at war with Spongebob Squarepants over the cartoon’s supposed “pro-homosexual” agenda, Focus on the Family’s headquarters was itself the target of protests by the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kansas–the very same group whose unprintable slogans were invoked in the Colorado GOP’s now-infamous “God Hates Flags” email blast that prompted some number of fellow Republicans to call for Williams’ resignation. At that time, FOTF was not considered anti-gay enough to avoid the Westboro Baptist traveling hate show, in keeping with WBC’s general theme of being as offensive as possible even to their putative friends.

Now that the chairman of the Colorado GOP has made the discourse safe for “God Hates Pride,” it looks like James Dobson was okay with Westboro Baptist’s message all along. It was merely a question of, you know, the messenger.

Although Dobson’s endorsement is significant in this primary taking place in FOTF’s backyard, it would have been better for Williams to have secured it several weeks ago to impact this mail ballot election. Williams also doesn’t have the resources to get Dobson on the air on his behalf, certainly not on the scale that opposed PACs are saturating the market with ads supporting Williams’ opponent. With that said, for a lot of GOP primary voters this endorsement will be persuasive–if they hear about it before they cast their ballots.

The moral of the story? Hate has…lots of old friends.