Foley tips party into crisis with core voters

Only an “act of God” could reverse the Republican party’s sharply declining fortunes in the critical midterm congressional elections that take place in less than five weeks, according to senior conservative consultants and opinion polls.

The latest scandal to hit the Republicans – involving a lawmaker, Mark Foley, exchanging suggestive electronic messages with under-age page boys on Capitol Hill – could prove the “tipping point” for social conservative voters already disillusioned with their party’s congressional and presidential performance.