Democratic Clergy Candidates Run for Congress on Christian Faith Ahead of 2026 Midterms

A group of Democratic congressional candidates with pastoral backgrounds are making their Christian faith the center of their 2026 midterm campaigns, testing whether religious identity can help the party win back voters in competitive districts.

In Texas, James Talarico, a pastor and former state legislator, is running for Congress while openly criticizing Christian nationalism. He has specifically called out what he describes as its influence inside the Department of Defense under Secretary Pete Hegseth. Frederick Haynes, a prominent Dallas pastor, is also running in Texas on a platform rooted in his faith and social justice ministry.

In Iowa, Sarah Trone Garriott and Lindsay James, both with ties to religious communities, are running campaigns that draw on Christian values around care for the poor and the common good.

Republican opponents have pushed back hard. Several have labeled the Democratic candidates "PINOs," short for Pastors In Name Only, accusing them of using the gospel for political purposes.

Conservative commentator R. Albert Mohler Jr. noted the development in his September 29 briefing, describing it as part of a broader Democratic effort to close what political analysts call the "God gap," the long-standing advantage Republicans have held among churchgoing voters.

NPR reported that the candidates are not hiding their faith but are instead arguing that their religious convictions drive their policy positions on healthcare, poverty, and immigration.

Whether the strategy works will depend on whether voters in their districts see the candidates as authentic or as political opportunists. Early polling in several of the races shows tight margins, suggesting the faith-based approach has not hurt them so far.