Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico speaks at a rally on Monday, July 13, 2026, in Eagle Pass, Texas. (AP Photo/Brenda Bazán)
In his fight to hold Republican power, President Trump has made a cruel claim that could not be further from the truth: Democrats are godless communists.
The statement builds on Trump’s past comments that Democrats “oppose God” and hold anti-Christian bias. This is not only disrespectful to people of faith across the country, but it also ignores today’s reality.
Over the last 20 years, Democrats have become the party of religious diversity. In 2006, Democrats elected Minnesota’s Keith Ellison as the first Muslim member of Congress. In 2018, the party elected Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) and Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) as the first Muslim women in Congress. Dozens of congressmen and women identify as Jewish, many others as Buddhists and Hindus.
But while Democrats embraced religious inclusion, their party has still struggled to actively engage with communities of faith, and Christians in particular.
As a pastor and leader of an organization dedicated to helping Democrats meaningfully connect with faith voters, I have seen these challenges firsthand.