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![In 1977, Weyrich co-founded Christian Voice with Robert Grant. The following year, the IRS proposed a new rule that would have revoked the tax exemption of private schools based on their racial demographic composition relative to that of their respective communities.[20][21] Weyrich later cited this as the beginnings of the religious right, but realized that another wedge issue would be required to keep evangelical Christians mobilized.[22] The unexpected success of predominantly Catholic anti-abortion activists in the 1978 midterms convinced Weyrich that opposition to abortion might work as a wedge issue to keep evangelicals politically mobilized.[12][13] He favored the issue because it could be framed in the context of family values and be used to claim moral superiority, as well as attack second-wave feminism.[23][24] Prior to this time, the Catholic Church was the only Christian denomination that was staunchly anti-abortion, with many Protestant and evangelical denominations, including the Southern Baptist Convention, either supporting legalization of the procedure, or not taking a stance on the issue. Many evangelical leaders were hesitant to embrace opposition to abortion as a wedge issue, believing that its stereotype amongst evangelicals as a "Catholic issue" would hinder its ability to politically mobilize them,[25] but conservative Christians began joining the anti-abortion movement in large numbers by the early 1980s.[26][27] In 1979, Weyrich co-founded the Moral Majority with Jerry Falwell.[28] The organization was credited with mobilizing evangelical Protestants to support Ronald Reagan, and electing him to the presidency in 1980.[29]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:v4dvhpeb7vpm6m2iwyyarjw3/bafkreieflfkrje4sq3l3gm72jyhkfink7ojeq2b6ioc5xjhzxr5e2hboti)
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