By Elsie Kamsiyochi
As the United States heads toward another fiercely contested midterm election season, a small but notable group of Democratic candidates is taking an unconventional approach to outreach: openly weaving Christian scripture and theology into their political messaging. In a political landscape where religious voters—particularly Christians—have long leaned toward the Republican Party, these Democrats hope faith-based language can help bridge a widening cultural and electoral divide.
At the forefront of this effort is Sarah Trone Garriott, an Iowa state senator and ordained Lutheran minister who has never shied away from discussing her faith on the campaign trail.
This year, she is joined by more than a dozen Democrats nationwide—many of them clergy or religious scholars—who are centering their campaigns on explicitly Christian moral arguments as they seek election to federal and state offices.
A Strategic Opening in a Shifting Landscape
Christian voters have historically gravitated toward the Republican Party, particularly white evangelicals. But some political analysts say the political climate has shifted under the second-term presidency of Donald Trump, whose hardline policies on immigration and law enforcement have drawn criticism from religious leaders across denominations.
Democratic strategists believe this moment could provide an opening. Trump’s immigration crackdown—especially after the fatal shootings of U.S. citizens during federal enforcement actions—has unsettled some faith communities that emphasize compassion for migrants and the poor.
That unease has encouraged a subset of Democrats to argue that progressive policies are not at odds with Christianity, but rather flow directly from it.
Clergy Candidates Step Forward
Among the candidates are Alaska congressional hopeful Matt Schultz, a Presbyterian pastor, and Texas Senate candidate James Talarico, who is currently studying for the ministry. According to Doug Pagitt of Vote Common Good, a progressive Christian advocacy group, the number of faith leaders running as Democrats this cycle is far higher than in previous elections.
“It’s really important that people of faith speak to issues in the public realm,” Trone Garriott said. “Faith is about how we live together. So is politics.”
What makes this wave distinct is not simply that candidates are religious, but that they are directly connecting scripture to policy debates—on immigration, healthcare, poverty, and abortion—in a way rarely seen among Democrats outside the Black church tradition.
Navigating a Secular Base
Unlike figures such as Senator Raphael Warnock, whose ministry emerged from the historically Democratic Black church, many of these candidates come from predominantly white, mainline Protestant backgrounds.
That sets them apart from both traditional Democratic constituencies and recent religious voices in the party.
Experts say this strategy carries risk. In 2024, Trump won overwhelming support from white evangelical voters, while also securing majorities among Catholics and mainline Protestants.
At the same time, the Democratic base has grown increasingly secular. Surveys by the Pew Research Center show that about 40% of Democratic-leaning voters now identify as religiously unaffiliated—more than double the share from 2007.
“This is a tricky balance,” said political scientist David Campbell of the University of Notre Dame. “Democrats have a very secular base, but there are also moderate voters who are comfortable with religious language and open to hearing faith-based arguments for progressive policies.”
Schultz, for his part, says he is not worried about alienating non-religious voters. “People have a more sophisticated view of religion than we often give them credit for,” he said.
Faith, Abortion, and Moral Framing
One of the most sensitive issues Democrats face when speaking in religious terms is abortion. Candidates like Trone Garriott, Schultz and Talarico are reframing the debate, arguing that support for abortion rights can coexist with Christian faith.
They point to ambiguity in scripture about when life begins and argue that policies expanding healthcare, contraception and child care are more effective at reducing abortions than outright bans.
“I am pro-choice, not despite my Christian faith, but because of it,” Schultz said.
Since the Supreme Court overturned nationwide abortion rights in 2022, Democrats have increasingly portrayed the issue as one of compassion, personal conscience and social justice—frames that resonate with many faith-based voters, particularly outside evangelical circles.
Immigration and Moral Outrage
Immigration has become another focal point. Schultz drew national attention after denouncing the killing of Alex Pretti, a nurse shot by federal agents in Minneapolis, calling it “murder” from his church pulpit. Similar outrage followed the death of Renee Good, another U.S. citizen killed during enforcement actions.
“These are the fruits of this administration: loss, grief, and tears,” Schultz said, linking current policies to moral failure. Trone Garriott echoed that sentiment, citing the teachings of Jesus about welcoming strangers and protecting the vulnerable.
Federal officials have since acknowledged the need to investigate the shootings, marking a shift from earlier statements that labeled the victims as “domestic terrorists,” despite video evidence to the contrary.
Republicans Push Back
Republicans remain skeptical that this strategy will make inroads. Mike Marinella, a spokesman for the GOP’s House campaign arm, dismissed the effort, arguing Republicans continue to dominate among faith-based voters because their policies align more closely with “common sense” and traditional values.
Yet Democrats involved in recruitment see faith-based campaigning as a natural extension of their message on affordability, healthcare and housing.
“A person of faith already has a moral framework for addressing today’s problems,” said Representative Morgan McGarvey of Kentucky. “Do we have food, healthcare, housing—and do we respect people’s rights?”
A Test of Political and Spiritual Boundaries
As the midterms approach, it remains unclear whether this faith-forward strategy will significantly shift voting patterns.
But its emergence reflects a broader debate within American politics: whether religious language must belong almost exclusively to conservatives, or whether progressive candidates can reclaim scripture as a foundation for social justice, compassion and collective responsibility.
For candidates like Trone Garriott, the answer is simple. “I can’t do this without talking about my faith,” she said—even if the political payoff remains uncertain.
Source Reuters
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