A growing number of religious leaders—including pastors, seminarians, and former clergy—are breaking from the traditional Republican alignment by running as Democrats in this election cycle, with roughly half of them securing party nominations. The shift reflects a rare but notable trend where faith-based candidates are embracing progressive politics, challenging long-held assumptions about religious voters’ political leanings. An NPR correspondent followed several of these candidates on the campaign trail, exploring how their religious backgrounds shape their Democratic platforms. The development raises questions about the evolving intersection of faith and political identity in American elections.
Fusing faith and politics is almost a no-brainer for many Republicans hoping to hold public office. But this election cycle, 12 pastors, seminarians and former clergy ran as Democrats, with about half securing nominations. Lisa Desjardins discussed more with NPR religion correspondent Jason Derose, who recently spent time on the campaign trail with several of these candidates.
