American Solidarity Party Expresses Hope Pope Leo XIV Considered Its Illinois Gubernatorial Ticket in Midterm Election

The American Solidarity Party is expressing its hope that Pope Leo XIV considered the party’s Illinois candidates when casting his ballot in the midterm elections, where he became the first sitting pope to vote in an American election.

The party published a brief statement Friday, October 30, by National Committee Chair Jack Ternan, who referred to favorable remarks the pontiff made in September 2025 about historical Christian democratic leaders before a working group of the European Parliament.

“His namesake and predecessor, Pope Leo XIII, endorsed Christian democracy in GRAVES DE COMMUNI RE,” Ternan said, also referencing a 1901 letter that’s part of Catholic social teaching. “In keeping with that teaching, the present Pope has promoted a ‘healthy secularism, that is, a style of thinking and acting that affirms the value of religion while preserving the distinction — not separation or confusion — from the political sphere’ and identified Christian Democratic leaders Robert Schuman, Konrad Adenauer and Alcide De Gasperi as worthy of emulation.”

Ternan tied the pope’s earlier remarks to the party’s own adherence to Christian democracy and its stated support for policies consistent with the sanctity of human life, peace, and social justice. He then expressed hope that the head of the Catholic Church had considered the party’s state gubernatorial ticket when filling his ballot.

“While we have yet to achieve the electoral success of our counterparts in other countries, it is our humble hope that our candidates in Illinois – Michael Vick and Gary Pierce – attracted the consideration and perhaps the vote of the Pope,” Ternan continued.

Vick and Pierce are the American Solidarity Party’s candidates for Illinois governor and lieutenant governor, respectively. Both are mounting write-in campaigns and will not appear on Tuesday’s ballot. They are also the only candidates from Illinois who are part of the party’s slate of ten this cycle, half of whom are running in local races in neighboring Indiana.

Ternan’s statement follows earlier reports that the pope, who was born in Chicago as Robert Francis Prevost and remains registered to vote in Illinois, requested a mail ballot. The Vatican later confirmed that Leo XIV had submitted his ballot, giving him the distinction of becoming the first sitting pope to vote in an American election.