Weldon Campaign says “Eat Mor Chikin”

Florida Republican primary candidate for the U.S. Senate Dr. Dave Weldon is asking supporters to go to their local Chick-fil-A on August 1, 2012. Supporters are being asked to hand out brochures stating Dr. Weldon’s positions on a variety of issues including his strong support of traditional marriage. Dr. Weldon was endorsed by the United Christians of Florida PAC last week.

An email from Daniel Nokovich, Dave Weldon for U.S. Senate Door to Door Coordinator, states, “August 1st, Chick-fil-A is having a national day to support its stand on marriage between a man and one woman. It is turning out that it will be quite the place. You can Go to Chick-fil-A and hand out Vote Dave Weldon tickets for Senate.”

Mr. Nokovich notes, “If we start out with 100 people and ask each person to send out 5 emails to five republican friends that are voting in the primary and then ask them to ask five and them to ask five and do that seven times we can reach over 2 million people within 1 week.”

Former Governor Mike Huckabee has started a national campaign to show support for Chick-Fil-A after attacks by elected Democrat officials against Dan Cathy. Mr. Cathy, President of the popular fast food chain, said in an interview with Baptist Press that he is “very much supportive of the family,” that is, “the biblical definition of the family unit”. Mr. Cathy puts on the record what critics say his company’s actions have indicated for years. “Well, guilty as charged,” he said in the interview when asked about Chick-fil-A’s backing of families led by a man and a woman.

Governor Huckabee has called for a national eat in at Chick-Fil-A on Wednesday, August 1, 2012. Over 2.6 million people have committed to attend the “Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day” according to it’s Facebook page.

Democrat elected officials in several cities have said they will not approve building of Chick-fil-A franchises within their jurisdictions. Mark Steyn in his National Review column “The Tolerance Enforcers” reports Chicago Alderman Joe Moreno as saying, “I will now be denying Chick-fil-A’s permit to open a restaurant in the First Ward.” Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel agreed with Alderman Moreno that Chick-fil-A does not “represent Chicago’s values”.

Steyn writes, “Alderman Moreno does not allege that Chick-fil-A discriminates in its hiring practices or in its customer service. Nor does he argue that business owners should not be entitled to hold opinions: The Muppets, for example, have reacted to Mr. Cathy’s observations by announcing that they’re severing all ties with Chick-fil-A. Did you know that the Muppet Corporation has a position on gay marriage? Well, they do. But Miss Piggy and the Swedish Chef would be permitted to open a business in the First Ward of Chicago because their opinion on gay marriage happens to coincide with Alderman Moreno’s. It’s his ward, you just live in it. When it comes to lunch options, he’s the chicken supremo and don’t you forget it.”

In 2008 Florida passed a constitutional amendment to define marriage as between one man and one woman by a margin of 62% to 38%. Chick-fil-A has now gone beyond just a statement and has turned into a rallying point for both political parties. Will it make a difference in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate in Florida? Is “Eat Mor Chikin” now a Weldon campaign slogan?