Evangelicals in a new political atmosphere

Religious columnist Mark Early made the case in a Monday column on The Christian Post that religious groups must stay involved in the political process.
(http://www.christianpost.com/Opinion/Columns/2009/02/evangelicals-and-politics-16/)
His argument focuses on the possible contradiction between living in the model of Jesus and pursuing social reform through lobbying the government. In his mind, these are not mutually exclusive.
With the election of Barak Obama, some are predicting the end of the Religious Right, even calling for evangelicals to extricate themselves from the political process.
Doing so would be a mistake.
The Religious Right certainly has gained a negative image among much of the American populace, through abrasive leadership and a sense of moral superiority. This image certainly needs to be expunged, but the evangelical movement removing itself from the political process is not the way to do it.
Polls show that 25 to 30 percent of the American people ascribe to an evangelical denomination. For the movement to ignore the specific needs and views of its constituent members by failing to lobby for them would be a dereliction of duty.
Religion must be kept from entangling with government, but that does not mean religious concerns should not be brought to the attention of government.
Just as people have valid political, social, and moral ideologies absent of religion that they advocate for, so do religious groups. They should not flee the system simply because a new President is in office.