Religion

guillaumeb

(42,641 posts) Tue Sep 17, 2019, 07:34 PM Sep 2019

In Georgia, a Democrat launches a campaign that's all about faith

From the article:

Mixtures of religion and politics aren’t exactly unusual in Georgia, a state situated squarely in the heart of the Bible Belt where asking someone where they go to church is a common icebreaker.
But this year, no one is combining faith — however broadly defined — and politics as acutely as Sarah Riggs Amico, 40, a newly announced Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, running to oppose incumbent Republican Sen. David Perdue....

“You don’t love the neighbor, if you shun the poor, the powerless, the least of these,” she says over images of immigrants in detention centers. “Faith is how I know that nobody should be sick because they’re poor, or poor because they’re sick. That we need to protect and sustain the earth. That we have an obligation to stand up for economic security and social justice no matter the color of your skin or who you love.”
The ad goes on to refer to Scripture several times while outlining a decidedly liberal vision for Georgia that showcases implicit support for immigrants, the environment, abortion rights, people of color, and same-sex marriage. The inclusive message is juxtaposed against what she argues are the moral failings of the Trump administration.
Centering her left-leaning political message on faith is a bold strategy that experts say is not only attracting accolades from liberals and conservatives alike, but also hinting at a new faith-fueled trend among Democrats running for office in the Deep South.