Republicans Target 9 Democratic Pastor Candidates as Sermons Become 2026 Attack Line
Updated
Updated · POLITICO · Sep 29
Republicans Target 9 Democratic Pastor Candidates as Sermons Become 2026 Attack Line
3 articles · Updated · POLITICO · Sep 29
Summary
Nine clergy are running for federal office as Democrats this cycle, and Republicans are increasingly mining years of recorded sermons and religious comments for attack ads and campaign hits.
JD Vance sharpened that line in Iowa against Kansas candidate Hamilton, mocking his “nice pastor” image and accusing him of preaching about white privilege instead of the gospel.
Democrats have mostly answered by defending faith as central to their politics: James’s campaign called the attacks insulting, Talarico acknowledged some “cringey” past remarks but kept preaching, and Hamilton said he would not be deterred.
Hamilton also drew support from 120 Methodist ministers in Kansas, who urged Sen. Roger Marshall to stop attacking his pastoral ministry.
The clashes underscore a broader Democratic faith push even as only about half of Democratic-leaning adults identify as Christian, down 24 percentage points since 2007.