Christianity Today, an evangelical publication founded by Billy Graham, recently explored the desire of some Christians to seek a third party presidential candidate this election cycle who best represents their particular views, even if such a candidate is unlikely to win.
The report, published on Thursday by Harvest Prude, examines the growing dissatisfaction among Christian voters with President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, the likely Democratic and Republican presidential nominees. Prude explores how a number of Christians find themselves unable to support the two major parties this year due to moral and ideological conflicts. Instead, these individuals are considering either supporting a third party candidate or simply writing in the name of another individual.
Prude places a particular focus on the American Solidarity Party, a Christian democratic organization founded in 2011, and its most recent nominees, Peter Sonski and Lauren Onak. She discusses the unique challenges facing the party and the response it has met from some Christians looking for a new option. Prude additionally interviews several Christian voters and the American Solidarity Party Chair, Marcos Lopez.
According to Lopez, the party has experienced an increase in membership since the Super Tuesday elections. However, it continues to grapple with common issues encountered by most third party campaigns, such as a limited pool of volunteers, financial constraints, and overly strict ballot access requirements. Still, the party seeks to make itself as welcoming as possible for those who feel politically homeless.
In addition to the American Solidarity Party, there are references to several other parties that could potentially appeal to Christians, such as the Forward Party, the Libertarian Party, the Prohibition Party, and the No Labels organization. Additionally, Prude mentions several candidates by name, including Green Party candidate Dr. Jill Stein, independents Dr. Cornel West and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and a Texas man who legally changed his name earlier this year to run for president as “Literally Anyone Else.”
Perhaps the exclusion of the Constitution Party was because they haven’t nominated someone yet. If they nominate Randall Terry, there will be intense coverage for the CP.
The Christian right people I personally know have a nearly, or entirely, idolatrous veneration of Trump. They realize his opposition to a national abortion ban is strategic, based on poll numbers, and that their best chance of actually getting one is to put him in a position to potentially appoint additional supreme court justices, regardless of his personal statements on the issue. How else would it happen? I doubt it would land as a congressional bill on his desk. If it somehow did, I’m guessing he’d probably sign it, regardless of what he says now.
The Constitution party does seem like an omission, but they also seem increasingly like an anachronism. My impression is that they are in decline, and that Trump has absorbed most of their former support. Solidarity looks like they are on the upswing. Perhaps the article author supports them.
What New said. I’ve long considered the Constitution Party to be the “Religious Right” party.
That said, CT and the people protesting? Where was your moral outrage 8 years ago over the Republican option? That said, per the story, about halfway down, “the game is up.” Trump won’t back a national abortion ban, so he’s no longer acceptable.
I wonder why the report made no mention of the Constitution Party?