Blankenship: 'No Regrets' About Failed Senate Re-Election Bid

Outspoken former senator says she'd 'do it all over again'

LANDASTON, Veroche--Former Sen. Evelynn Blankenship said she has "no regrets" about her failed Senate re-election bid.

The outspoken Conservative made the comments on the GBC's Weekend Glance program, telling substitute host Ed McCulvie she would "do it all over again."

"I wouldn't change one bit of my campaign, Ed," Blankenship said. "We ran a campaign based on the honor and integrity that is expected of elected officials."

McCulvie asked specifically about the overt use of religion in her campaign, including a much-publicized incident in which the senator was prayed over by fellow parishoners at her church in suburban Landaston.

That incident, which included fellow worshipers laying hands on the senator and asking God to "deliver victory" received much criticism from Blankenship's Nationalist opponent, David Acade.

"She's a religious radical who believes this campaign is a holy war between good and evil," Veroche Nationalist Party Chairman Paul Akrod said at the time. "She literally thinks God annointed her to be senator."

Blankenship made no apologies for receiving prayer in a public manner.

"I'm an elected official. I should have people praying for me...praying that I will make the right decisions that honor God and our country," she told McCulvie.

"I'm not going to apologize for asking people to pray for me," Blankenship continued.

On the issue of being "annointed" by God to win the election, as some charged, Blankenship said she never said it was God's will for her to win.

"I never walked up there and said, 'I am going to win this race because God wants me to win it.' I never said those words. What I said was that God had annointed me to run, he had annointed me to have the opportunity to serve and to run for office. I still believe to this day that God has annointed me to be a voice for righteousness and morality in this state and in all of Grassadellia."

Critics within her party argued that the overt use of religion was a turn-off to voters and a media distraction.

"That's absurd. Religion had nothing to do with me losing. I lost because this was a change election, and because the people of Veroche wanted a change in leadership. And I respect that. But when people say we lost because I wasn't afraid to show my trust in God, I just have to disagree with that strongly.

"My faith has always played an integral role in my life, Ed. And if people are offended by that, then I'm sorry but that's not going to change. I believe what I believe and I have a relationship with the Lord and I'm not afraid to say it and I refuse to shush my beliefs because it may offend some people or jeopardize an election. One thing people know about me is that I always speak what's on my mind and I am very forthright. What you see is what you get with me. And if that's a problem for some people, well, then so be it."

As for a possible political comeback, Blankenship would not rule out another run for public office.

"I can't say that I know what I'm going to do yet, but I can't rule out a run for office yet entirely," she said. "It all comes down to what God wants and whether my husband Jim and my kids will go along with it."