At a time when some evangelicals see voting for a Democrat as incompatible with being a Christian, Rep. James Talarico, D-Austin, asserts his Christian faith leads him to support the Democratic Party and its presidential nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris.
Talarico, who serves in the Texas House of Representatives, is convinced Harris’ policy positions on issues ranging from expanded health care to immigration reflect a compassionate approach to “how we treat our neighbors.”
That belief—along with deep concern about the rise of Christian nationalism—prompted Talarico to endorse Evangelicals for Harris and to oppose former President Donald Trump.
“When you look at Donald Trump, his character, his actions and his policies are antithetical to the teachings of Jesus Christ,” Talarico insisted.
Pastor Jack Graham of Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano voiced a dramatically different perspective during a June conference call with Trump and a group of conservative Christians.
Graham, a former president of the Southern Baptist Convention, joined an “emergency prayer call” hosted by televangelist Paula White-Cain’s National Faith Advisory Board, voicing support for Trump prior to his televised debate with President Joe Biden.
“He is a warrior for us,” Graham said. “He’s standing for us and always has been representing the principles and precepts of God’s word that we strongly believe.”
Calling ‘bigger than politics’
Some have questioned why Talarico has identified with “evangelicals” who support Harris for president.
As the grandson of a Baptist pastor in Laredo, Talarico said he feels an affinity toward evangelical traditions, even though he identified both the church where he worships and the seminary where he studies as “mainline Protestant institutions.”
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He is a longtime member of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Austin—an LGBTQ-affirming congregation affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). He also is a student at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary and hopes eventually to serve in a pastoral role.
Talarico sees both his church and the seminary as “having an evangelical calling—to share the Good News with everyone and take Jesus’ teachings into the world.”
He views that calling as “bigger than politics,” but also as influencing how Christians should view issues dealing with poverty, immigration, public education and care for the environment.
Talarico believes many evangelical Christians have felt excluded from the Democratic Party, but he also thinks the Republican Party has “taken Christians’ votes for granted.”
“We just want to extend a hand to evangelicals to let them know they have a place in our party,” he said.
Of course, some evangelicals view the issue altogether differently.
Landon Schott, senior pastor of Mercy Culture Church—a multi-site congregation with campuses in Fort Worth, Dallas and Waco—made his views clear in a recent Instagram post in which he wrote: “YOU ARE NOT A BIBLE BELIEVING, JESUS FOLLOWING CHRISTIAN IF YOU SUPPORT THE GODLESS ROMANS 1 EVIL OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY!”
He went on to write: “When godless world leaders, wicked politicians and woke false teachers all support the same political party/candidate, YOU ARE NOT ON THE LORD’S SIDE!”
Highlighting the dangers of Christian nationalism
During his time in the Texas House, Talarico, has voiced opposition to what he sees as Christian nationalism.
“Christian nationalism represents the most dangerous form of government—theocracy,” he said. “It is a form of tyranny, and it is most dangerous because the tyrant thinks he is on a mission for God.”
He views Christian nationalism as an unhealthy merger of religious and American identities that seeks special privileges for Christianity.
Talarico—who taught at a low-income public school in San Antonio—sees examples of Christian nationalism in legislation mandating the Ten Commandments be posted in every classroom, allowing school districts to hire Christian chaplains and incorporating Bible stories into elementary school reading curriculum.
He also sees it at the heart of Gov. Greg Abbott’s campaign to grant parents “school choice” through educational savings accounts—essentially a school voucher plan to divert public money to private schools, including religious schools.
“Jesus didn’t come to establish a Christian nation. He came to reveal the ultimate reality—the kingdom of God that is within us and around us,” he said. “The kingdom of God is so much bigger than any political party.”
Ads generate controversy
Evangelicals for Harris have created some controversy with ads they have produced—particularly one that includes an archival clip of evangelist Billy Graham issuing a call to repentance, contrasted with a clip of Trump saying he never felt the need to ask God for forgiveness.
Franklin Graham, president of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritan’s Purse, criticized the group for using his father’s image.
“They are trying to mislead people,” he tweeted on social media. “Maybe they don’t know that my father appreciated the conservative values and policies of President @realDonaldTrump in 2016, and if he were alive today, my father’s views would not have changed.”
One ad produced by Evangelicals for Harris includes clips of Trump’s rhetoric and urges voters: “Read 1 John 4. Choose Christ’s Love. Let our Witness be Good News.” Another ad includes clips from speeches by Harris and Gov. Tim Walz and references the “fruit of the Spirit” in Galatians 5:22-24.
Talarico sees that use of the Bible as significantly different than those who see Trump as “the chosen one” or a Messiah-like figure anointed by God.
“The key difference is we’re not worshipping Kamala Harris. We’re just voting for her,” he said.
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