Should Christians Endorse Political Candidates?

A Nuanced Take On Evangelicals for Harris

If you’ve been following along for a while, you’re probably aware of my shady political past as a Republican political consultant in the United States. I share about this part of my life openly because it had a huge role in shaping my understanding of the American Empire and how it conflicts with the Politics of Jesus - especially as it relates to pursuing justice for our marginalized neighbours.

For a primer on how I embraced and deconstructed my own past political idolatry, read more here.

When I left a lucrative political consulting practice to do advocacy, grassroots lobbying and church partnerships work on behalf of my marginalized neighbours over 7 years ago, I made a vow to myself:

Never again will I attach the public witness of my beautiful faith to imperfect earthly rulers.

Even though I’ve voted in multiple elections for political leaders of both US parties ever since, I’ve kept that vow. And I intend on keeping it until the day I die.¹

As a Christian advocate for justice who was literally saved from a lifestyle of political idolatry, I have vowed to be politically agnostic in all earthly political matters - except for the Politics of Jesus which has a sole political agenda: the human flourishing of my marginalized neighbours. I recently described myself to a new friend as ‘political but not partisan’.

As a Christian advocate for justice, my marginalized neighbours are my number 1 priority. Any politician that supports the well-being of our marginalized neighbours, I will thank and celebrate. And any politician that opposes the well-being of our marginalized neighbours, I will prayerfully push back against. Also, as Romans 13 commands me to, I will respect and pray regularly for all of my political leaders - for their well-being and for them to prioritize the well-being of our poor and oppressed neighbours.

As a Christian advocate for justice, my allegiance is ultimately to Jesus. Furthermore, having worked for five years in the US political world as a party leader and political operative, I know this to be true beyond a shadow of a doubt: It is impossible to serve both Jesus and the American Empire.

I appreciate the desire of many Christians to participate in the political process out of concern for their marginalized neighbours and out of a desire to be a good earthly citizen. But experience has taught me that there will come a point where these Christians will have to make a choice: Jesus or Empire. Because political leaders are ultimately always going to be servants of Empire; not Jesus.

And when political leaders inevitably disappoint the people of God by prioritizing the needs of Empire over the needs of their marginalized neighbours (such as what we’re seeing with the American Empire + western empires’ support of a genocidal regime in the middle-east right now that has killed over 15,000 children), Christians who have publicly attached their political witness to a flawed political leader of Empire will have to choose between silence & complicity or public pushback to the leaders they once endorsed.

In my experience, most Christians choose to double down on their support for politicians, political parties and Empire instead of humbly saying they were wrong.

Evangelicals for Harris

If you’re as active on social media as I (tragically) am, you’ve likely seen some buzz around ‘Evangelicals for Harris’ - a coalition of American evangelical and evangelical-adjacent leaders who have endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris’ bid for the US Presidency. In their recent tweets like the one below, Evangelicals for Harris has repeatedly reiterated that their ultimate allegiance is to Christ and that not everyone in the coalition would fully align with all of VP Harris’ policy positions.

Here are some generic patterns I’ve been observing on the reactions towards this newly announced effort:

1. Many Female and BIPOC Christians seem very excited about this coalition.

2. Many white politically moderate or progressive male Christians who would likely vote for VP Harris themselves (without publicly endorsing her due to public witness concerns) seem concerned about Christian leaders openly endorsing the left’s political candidate; just like they are about Christians who endorse the right’s political candidate.

3. Many Trump evangelicals saying “You cannot be an evangelical and vote for Kamala Harris because of the one or two evangelical issues that Harris openly opposes.”

Here’s my (completely unsolicited) take on Evangelicals for Harris as someone who has been a part of efforts like this in his political past:

I have a lot of grace and empathy for BIPOC Christians who are terrified of a second Trump Presidency. As a BIPOC Christian myself, I know for a fact that to many of us in black & brown communities - this election feels like an existential crisis. Especially given Trump’s overt, unrepentant public racism and his campaign’s ties to Project 2025² - an evil, anti-immigrant, xenophobic policy agenda aimed at stripping away the constitutional rights of law-abiding immigrant communities.

I also have grace and empathy for female Christians who are terrified of a second Trump Presidency - especially given the real damage that the first Trump administration did towards women’s health issues.

A look at the Speaker List for Evangelicals for Harris’ upcoming zoom call this week shows us that the vast majority of names on this list are female and BIPOC Christians - many of whom are people I know and deeply admire as advocates for justice. I think Christians should extend grace to these folks (especially as representatives of marginalized communities) and take a posture of curiosity by seeking to understand instead of passing judgement and ‘both side-ism’.

A second Trump Presidency genuinely feels like an existential threat to many Christian communities and individuals on the margins. These leaders likely feel like they have no choice but to publicly endorse VP Harris’ candidacy - even if they do not agree with all of her policy positions.

My empathetic and respectful challenge to these dear siblings in Christ would however be as follows:

1. How are you holding the Harris campaign (and a future possible Harris administration) accountable on the human flourishing of all our marginalized neighbours (especially the ones being bombed to death in Gaza right now because of the Biden-Harris administration’s foreign policy)?

2. Will you commit to publicly pushing back against the Harris campaign or administration if VP Harris takes policy stances that further marginalizes our neighbours on the margins tomorrow (again, something I think is inevitable for any political leader in the American Empire)? Or will you choose to silently stand by in complicity?

If they (or you) can wrestle with these questions and confidently come out on the other side saying, “I am confident about holding true to my allegiance to Jesus and all my marginalized neighbours”, then Godspeed.

If not, it is best to maintain the independence of our voices in the public square so that we can prophetically speak truth to power (regardless of who is in power) on behalf of our marginalized neighbours - without losing our saltiness or light.

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1. As with anything else I say in public, I am allowed to change my mind on this. :)

2. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/what-is-project-2025-trump-conservative-blueprint-heritage-foundation/