THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO RALPH

Monday, May. 15, 1995 By JEFFREY H. BIRNBAUM/WASHINGTON
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Even as he courts centrist voters, however, Reed has been determinedly pressing Republican politicians to move toward the Coalition's right-wing policies. Last week the Coalition lobbied hard against the nomination of Dr. Henry Foster as Surgeon General. Next week the Christian Coalition and many of its Republican allies will unveil their sequel to the Contract with America: the Contract with the American Family. Meanwhile, presidential candidates are dropping in on Reed for counsel. Bob Dole's attack on the morals of Hollywood was the result of consultations with Reed. Lamar Alexander, who last summer held that Washington should neither subsidize nor prohibit abortion, began shifting his view to the right after calling on Reed, who then rewarded the candidate by describing him as "pro-life." Says William Lacy, chief strategist for Dole's presidential bid: "Without having significant support of the Christian right a Republican cannot win the nomination or the general election." Reed is so hot a commodity that the presidential campaign of Senator Phil Gramm of Texas offered to hire him as its political director, the No. 2 staff job. Reed declined. It would have been a demotion.

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As executive director of the Christian Coalition, Reed is master of a much more powerful and effective machine than is almost any presidential candidate. By mobilizing eager volunteers down to the precinct (and local church) level and handing out 33 million voter guides -- often in church pews -- prior to last November's election, the Coalition is credited with providing the winning margin for perhaps half the Republicans' 52-seat gain in the House of Representatives and a sizable portion of their nine-seat pickup in the Senate. As a result, Ralph Reed is the man to see among Republican lawmakers and candidates for President. He stands astride the most potent faction in the ascendant Republican Party. And with that power comes scrutiny and criticism-from both the left and the right.

Behind Reed's cool blue eyes is steel. He is no innocent, talking tough politics like the late Lee Atwater, a Republican operative of decidedly secular mien. Last week Time got a close look at Reed and his organization by traveling with him as he moved from Washington to New Hampshire and back. He also provided a rare insider's glimpse at the real source of his clout-the satellite-Internet-and-fax machine juggernaut employed by his soldiers in the field.

Reed got this far by refocusing the Coalition on more than its basic agenda of support for school prayer and opposition to abortion. It now works hand in hand with the congressional Republican leaders and defines its purpose loosely as "pro-family," which encompasses such mainstream issues as deregulation and welfare reform. Acting then as a team player for the Republican Party, the Coalition poured more than $1 million into the effort to pass the Contract with America, including $250,000 for advertising, direct mail and phone-bank work on behalf of the balanced-budget amendment -- not generally considered a scriptural imperative.