Excerpt:
U.S. Senate candidate George Allen of Virginia is sticking with his Alexandria church despite rumblings within the congregation over the church's decision to allow Muslims to pray there on Fridays while a nearby Mosque is being renovated.
A handful of people have left the Aldersgate United Methodist Church to protest use of the church by Muslims. But a church spokeswoman said the public response has been overwhelmingly positive and the move is in keeping with Christian values.
Allen, though, must tread carefully to avoid an appearance of racial insensitivity. In his 2006 Senate campaign, Allen referred to an Indian-American volunteer for his opponent Jim Webb as "macaca," a perceived racial slur. Allen has repeatedly apologized for the remark.