Sep 27, 2026 · 36 min · 17 segments
This November, a notable number of Democrats are running for Congress who all have one thing in common: they are members of the clergy. In a moment when the party is counting on every seat it can…
Jason DeRose
Ayesha RascoeHost
need?So, Jason, how are these candidates' Republican opponents responding to their campaigns? I'm, I'm sure they're not just taking this lying down, [laughs] you know?
Yeah, so, so that's not too surprising to me because one of the things I've seen growing up in church is that people often focused on who's real and who not, who's getting into Heaven, who really about it.
Um, but the thing with this is, these are, these Democrats who are running for office, they're clergy, or they're in seminary.
So, so how are these Republicans making the argument that they're not Christians?
Well, here's James Talarico's Republican opponent, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, speaking at a campaign rally.
We cannot let Texas turn based on a deceiver like James Talarico, who does not want the world to know who he really is.
Paxton and his campaign repeatedly raise this idea that he's hiding something about his religious beliefs, and they describe Talarico as an out-of-touch radical.
Now, here's Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick talking about Talarico earlier this year at the state GOP convention.
I've never seen so much blasphemy from anyone running for office, and let me tell you what.
I'm gonna pray for that guy, because when he loses the Senate race, if he campaigns against God as he's been doing, he's going to hell for sure.
[cheering] [clapping]
He's actually incorporated a response to these attacks into his preaching and campaign rallies, giving specific examples of what he says are GOP actions.
The real blasphemy is kicking the sick off their healthcare-
Amen.
[clapping]
To fund tax cuts for billionaires.
That's right.
[clapping]
The real blasphemy is letting children go hungry in the wealthiest nation on Earth.
Amen.
[clapping]
The real blasphemy is homeless veterans sleeping on our streets.
need?So, Jason, how are these candidates' Republican opponents responding to their campaigns? I'm, I'm sure they're not just taking this lying down, [laughs] you know?
Yeah, so, so that's not too surprising to me because one of the things I've seen growing up in church is that people often focused on who's real and who not, who's getting into Heaven, who really about it.
Um, but the thing with this is, these are, these Democrats who are running for office, they're clergy, or they're in seminary.
So, so how are these Republicans making the argument that they're not Christians?
Well, here's James Talarico's Republican opponent, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, speaking at a campaign rally.
We cannot let Texas turn based on a deceiver like James Talarico, who does not want the world to know who he really is.
Paxton and his campaign repeatedly raise this idea that he's hiding something about his religious beliefs, and they describe Talarico as an out-of-touch radical.
Now, here's Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick talking about Talarico earlier this year at the state GOP convention.
I've never seen so much blasphemy from anyone running for office, and let me tell you what.
I'm gonna pray for that guy, because when he loses the Senate race, if he campaigns against God as he's been doing, he's going to hell for sure.
[cheering] [clapping]
He's actually incorporated a response to these attacks into his preaching and campaign rallies, giving specific examples of what he says are GOP actions.
The real blasphemy is kicking the sick off their healthcare-
Amen.
[clapping]
To fund tax cuts for billionaires.
That's right.
[clapping]
The real blasphemy is letting children go hungry in the wealthiest nation on Earth.
Amen.
[clapping]
The real blasphemy is homeless veterans sleeping on our streets.
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