Virginia governor campaign spotlights death penalty and religion

As discussed in some prior posts linked below, there has long been a fascinating set of connections between the death penalty and religion.  As detailed in this article, these connections are becoming headline news in Virginia's race for governor:

When explosive television ads called new attention to Democrat Tim Kaine's position on the death penalty last week, Kaine's response once again brought religion to the doorstep of the heated Virginia governor's race.

Republican nominee Jerry Kilgore sparked a firestorm with television ads that feature relatives of murder victims criticizing Kaine for representing a death row inmate and for once supporting a moratorium on executions in the state. Kaine responded by insisting he would carry out executions as governor, despite his moral objection to the death penalty....

Kaine, a Roman Catholic, said he has a faith-based objection to the death penalty but would carry out executions unless an inmate can demonstrate his innocence.  Kaine has sometimes responded to Kilgore's attacks by accusing the Republican of criticizing his religious beliefs.

And, as if the combination of politics, religion, and the death penalty wasn't exciting enough, this article spotlights that one of Kilgore's attacks on Kaine's death penalty record even invoked Adolph Hitler.

Related posts on religion and the death penalty:   

• New resource examining religion and the death penalty
• Miers, religion, and criminal justice issues
• Sister Prejean's powerful perspective
• Fascinating death penalty development in Ohio