For years, Democrats have been flummoxed by organized religion. The party has long stood for the separation of church and state. But when it comes time to court religious voters by speaking to their values, they often fall flat on their face. The GOP consistently wins the lion’s share of religious voters.
Texas Democratic state representative James Talarico, a leading candidate for the party’s nomination for US Senate, is trying to change that. The grandson of a Baptist preacher and a Presbyterian seminarian himself, Talarico is an effective communicator who is able to capably explain how his Christian faith guides him to embrace progressive values.
During a lengthy interview with podcaster Joe Rogan, for example, Talarico defended his support for abortion rights by pointing to the example of Mary, Jesus’s mother.
“Before God comes over Mary and we have the incarnation, God asks for Mary’s consent — which is remarkable,” he told Rogan over the summer, adding that even the Bible supports reproductive freedom.
On issue after issue, Talarico has skillfully turned to scripture to defend a progressive worldview.
“We have politicians who have ‘Christ follower’ in their Twitter bios, but they are kicking the sick off their health care,” he said during an interview about the current congressional fight over health care access.
But there is one issue where Talarico’s positions are discordant with many other Christians, progressive or conservative.
As Politico reported back in August, Talarico has received tens of thousands of dollars from a political action committee (PAC) backed by GOP megadonor Miriam Adelson. Although Adelson is perhaps best known for her Israel advocacy, her and her late husband’s wealth is tied up in casinos.
On issue after issue, Talarico has skillfully turned to scripture to defend a progressive worldview.
And it was the Texas Sands PAC, which is working hard to expand legal gambling in Texas, that gave…
Auteur: Zaid Jilani
