Political Wire

  • Front Page
  • Trending News
  • Polling Dashboard
  • Trial Balloon
  • Membership
    • Subscribe
    • Sign In
  • Sign In
  • Contact Us

GOP Candidate Said No Peace In Israel Until Jews Convert

November 4, 2018 at 8:55 am ET By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

North Carolina congressional candidate Mark Harris (R), a former Baptist pastor in Charlotte, said in 2011 that there would be no peace in Israel unless Jews and Muslims converted to Christianity, The Forward reports.

Said Harris: “You cannot be in that land, as powerful and as moving as it is, without realizing the incredible tension that is constantly in that land between the Palestinians and the Jews. There will never be peace in Jerusalem until the day comes that every knee shall bow, every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.”

Filed Under: Religion Tagged With: Israel, Mark Harris

GOP Lawmaker Urges Creation of ‘Holy Army’

November 2, 2018 at 1:50 pm ET By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Washington state Rep. Matt Shea (R) acknowledged he had distributed a four-page manifesto titled “Biblical Basis for War,” which describes the Christian God as a “warrior,” details the composition and strategies of a “Holy Army” and condemns abortion and same-sex marriage, the Seattle Times reports.

The document is organized in 14 sections with multiple tiers of bullet points and a smattering of biblical citations. Under one heading, “Rules of War,” it makes a chilling prescription for enemies who flout “biblical law.”

Filed Under: Religion

Pence Appears with ‘Rabbi’ Who Says ‘Jesus is the Messiah’

October 31, 2018 at 9:49 am ET By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Two days after the deadliest attack on Jews in U.S. history, Vice President Pence bowed his head at a rally in Michigan as a religious leader who casts himself as a “rabbi” offered a prayer for the victims in Pittsburgh,” the Washington Post reports.

“But the man who shared a stage with Pence, Loren Jacobs, preaches Messianic Judaism, a tradition central to Jews for Jesus, a group condemned by Jewish leaders as faux Judaism that seeks to promote Christian evangelism.”

NBC News: “The ‘Messianic rabbi’ who outraged many Jews by invoking the name of Jesus while delivering a prayer in memory of the Pittsburgh synagogue massacre victims was also spurned Tuesday by the organization that ordained him.”

Filed Under: Religion Tagged With: Mike Pence

Evangelical Leaders Frustrated with GOP Caution

September 20, 2018 at 1:17 pm ET By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Worried their chance to cement a conservative majority on the Supreme Court could slip away, a growing number of evangelical and anti-abortion leaders are expressing frustration that Senate Republicans and the White House are not protecting Judge Brett Kavanaugh more forcefully from a sexual assault allegation and warning that conservative voters may stay home in November if his nomination falls apart,” the New York Times reports.

“The pleas are, in part, an attempt to apply political pressure: Some evangelical leaders are warning that religious conservatives may feel little motivation to vote in the midterm elections unless Senate Republicans move the nomination out of committee soon and do more to defend Judge Kavanaugh from what they say is a desperate Democratic ploy to prevent President Trump from filling future court vacancies.”

Filed Under: Religion

GOP Lawmaker Accuses Atheists of Spying on School

September 19, 2018 at 10:45 am ET By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) claimed that what he described as “atheist litigation groups” in California were trying to get hidden video of Christian student activities at a local high school, the Shreveport Times reports.

“Johnson’s claims are the latest chapter in a saga involving a federal lawsuit alleging that teachers and other staff have consistently promoted Christianity in Bossier Parish Schools in violation of the U.S. Constitution. The lawsuit also alleges that some teachers or staff have sought to shame or coerce non-Christian students.”

Filed Under: Education, Religion Tagged With: Mike Johnson

Stephen Miller Condemned by Childhood Rabbi

September 10, 2018 at 10:47 pm ET By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

The childhood rabbi to Stephen Miller, special adviser to Donald Trump and a key architect of his “zero-tolerance” immigration policies, criticized his former charge as a purveyor of “negativity, violence, malice and brutality” who had learned nothing from his Jewish spiritual education, The Guardian reports.

Filed Under: Immigration, Religion Tagged With: Stephen Miller

Pence Quotes Bible In Response to New Book

August 31, 2018 at 5:48 pm ET By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Vice President Mike Pence turned to the Bible when asked recently what he makes of a new critical biography, The Shadow President, that calls him a “Christian supremacist,” USA Today reports.

Said Pence: “The Bible says count it all joy when you endure trials of many kinds. Any time I’m criticized for my belief in Jesus Christ, I just breath a prayer of praise.”

Our recent podcast episode with the authors of the book is very good.

Filed Under: Political Books, Religion Tagged With: Mike Pence

Trump Ignites Wave of Muslim-American Candidates

August 28, 2018 at 7:11 am ET By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“For the first time in two decades, American Arabs and Muslims are stepping up to run for public office in record numbers, registering to vote and bundling money for candidates from their community,” NBC News reports.

“With inflammatory rhetoric on immigration and his active push for a travel ban aimed primarily at Muslim-majority countries, Trump has put a national spotlight on the community’s long running travails. Trump has called for the monitoring of mosques and appointed Cabinet members and political advisers who have disparaged Muslims.”

“He’s also likely put the final nail in the coffin for the community’s waning support for the GOP.”

Filed Under: 2018 Campaign, Religion

Archbishop Says Francis Knew of Abuse

August 26, 2018 at 11:30 am ET By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“The former top Vatican diplomat in the United States alleged in a letter published on Sunday that Pope Francis knew about the abuses of a now-disgraced American prelate years before they became public,” the New York Times reports.

“The bombshell accusation, leveled by Carlo Maria Viganò, a staunch critic of Francis, immediately threatened to derail the pope’s difficult mission to demonstrate his commitment to combating the clerical sex abuse scandals that threaten his church on the same day he begged “the Lord’s forgiveness” at a shrine in Ireland.”

Filed Under: Religion

Racial Fear Is Key to Trump’s Support Among Evangelicals

June 20, 2018 at 8:35 am ET By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Janelle Wong: “My research indicates white evangelical conservatism correlates strongly with their perceptions anti-white discrimination, even after taking into account economic status, party, age and region. Fully 50 percent of white evangelical respondents to our 2016 survey reported feeling they face discrimination that’s comparable to, or even higher than, the discrimination they believe Muslim Americans face. Those who hold this perception are more likely to hold conservative attitudes on issues as wide-ranging as climate change, tax policy and health-care reform.”

“Here’s what is not behind these beliefs: economic anxiety. Like PRRI and political scientist Diana Mutz, I find economic anxiety isn’t a primary reason for supporting Trump. Rather, white evangelicals fear losing racial status. White evangelicals’ perceptions they’re the targets of discrimination – more so than other groups — influence far more than simply their votes for Trump.”

“Yes, 80 percent of white evangelicals supported Donald Trump in 2016. And the racial fears and anxieties that underlie their support for the president will probably remain the driver in their political views long after he leaves office.”

Filed Under: Race, Religion

New Movie Says Trump Was Chosen by God

June 7, 2018 at 10:11 am ET By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“A collaboration between an independent Christian filmmaker and one of America’s largest evangelical universities is showcasing the growing prominence of a provocative belief about President Trump ― that he was divinely appointed to lead the United States,” the HuffPost reports.

Filed Under: 2016 Campaign, Religion

Televangelist Says God Wants Him to Have $54 Million Jet

May 30, 2018 at 9:26 am ET By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

A prosperity gospel televangelist is asking his followers to “pray about becoming a partner” to his mission of obtaining a $54 million private jet, CBS News reports.

The Louisiana-based ministry of Jesse Duplantis has already paid cash for three other private planes, but he says God told him, “I want you to believe in me for a Falcon 7X.”

Filed Under: Religion

Making America Hate Again?

May 16, 2018 at 10:29 am ET By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

This piece is only available to Political Wire members.

A new paper by Karsten Müller and Carlo Schwarz finds disturbing evidence that anti-Muslim messages on Twitter can lead to attacks on Muslims.

Join now to continue reading.

Members get exclusive analysis, bonus features and no advertising. Learn more.

If you’re already a member, sign in to your account.

Filed Under: Members, Race, Religion

One-Fifth of Americans Have No Religious Affiliation

May 10, 2018 at 9:21 am ET By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

A new ABC News poll finds the number of adults expressing no religious affiliation has risen from 12% in 2003 to 21% of all adults in 2017. That includes 3% who say they’re atheists, 3% agnostic and 15% who say they have no religion.

The largest shifts during this 15-year period include 16-point increases among young adults (age 18 to 29) and political liberals.

Filed Under: Religion, Trends

John Bolton Chaired Anti-Muslim Think Tank

April 23, 2018 at 8:52 am ET By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“John Bolton, President Trump’s new national security adviser, chaired a nonprofit that has promoted misleading and false anti-Muslim news, some of which was amplified by a Russian troll factory,” an NBC News review found.

“The group’s authors also appeared on Russian media, including Sputnik and RT News, criticizing mainstream European leaders like French President Emmanuel Macron.”

Filed Under: Foreign Affairs, Religion Tagged With: John Bolton

Trump Hits All-Time High with White Evangelicals

April 18, 2018 at 2:41 pm ET By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

A new PRRI survey finds President Trump’s favorability at an all-time high with white evangelical Christians, 75% to 22%.

Also interesting is that white evangelicals prefer Trump as 2020 Republican nominee, 58% to 32%.

Filed Under: Religion, White House

Megachurch Leader Quits Amid Misconduct Allegations

April 11, 2018 at 9:34 am ET By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

The Rev. Bill Hybels, founder of one of the nation’s most influential evangelical megachurches, is stepping down “less than a month after a Chicago Tribune investigation disclosed that Hybels had been the subject of inquiries by church leaders into claims that he ran afoul of church teachings by engaging in inappropriate behavior with women in his congregation — including employees — allegedly spanning decades.”

Filed Under: Religion

Evangelicals Will Meet With Trump as Sex Scandals Swirl

April 6, 2018 at 9:04 am ET By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Several Evangelical Christian leaders are planning a sit-down with President Trump in June over allegations that his lawyer paid an adult film star $130,000 for her silence about an alleged affair, NPR reports.

Said the leader of one ministry: “We’re very concerned… There’s things that are like fingernails on the chalkboard to people of faith. That’s not who we are; that’s not a ‘fruit of the Spirit’; that’s not leading with humility.”

Filed Under: Religion, White House

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • …
  • 20
  • 21
  • 22
  • 23
  • 24
  • …
  • 32
  • Next Page »

Your Account

Members

For the full experience, sign in.

Become a Member

  • Join Political Wire
  • Gift a Membership

Members Only

  • The Hidden Battles Shaping the Ballot
  • When More Money Stops Mattering
  • America First?
  • Weekly News Quiz
  • Affordability Meets Corruption

Word of the Day Political Dictionary

Speaker Emerita

The term “Speaker Emerita” is a title bestowed on a former Speaker of the House of Representatives in the United States who has left the position but continues to serve in the House as a backbencher.

Read the definition →

Yesterday’s Word of the Day: Electoral College

Show me a random term

Think You Know Politics?

  • The Way It Was →
  • Yea or Nay? →
  • Split Decision →
  • Pollster →

About Political Wire

Taegan Goddard is the founder of Political Wire, one of the earliest and most influential political web sites. He also runs Political Job Hunt, Electoral Vote Map and the Political Dictionary.

Goddard spent more than a decade as managing director and chief operating officer of a prominent investment firm in New York City. Previously, he was a policy adviser to a U.S. Senator and Governor.

Goddard is also co-author of You Won - Now What? (Scribner, 1998), a political management book hailed by prominent journalists and politicians from both parties. In addition, Goddard's essays on politics and public policy have appeared in dozens of newspapers across the country.

Goddard earned degrees from Vassar College and Harvard University. He lives in New York with his wife and three sons.

Goddard is the owner of Goddard Media LLC.

Praise for Political Wire

“There are a lot of blogs and news sites claiming to understand politics, but only a few actually do. Political Wire is one of them.”

— Chuck Todd, host of “Meet the Press”

“Concise. Relevant. To the point. Political Wire is the first site I check when I’m looking for the latest political nugget. That pretty much says it all.”

— Stuart Rothenberg, editor of the Rothenberg Political Report

“Political Wire is one of only four or five sites that I check every day and sometimes several times a day, for the latest political news and developments.”

— Charlie Cook, editor of the Cook Political Report

“The big news, delicious tidbits, pearls of wisdom — nicely packaged, constantly updated… What political junkie could ask for more?”

— Larry Sabato, Center for Politics, University of Virginia

“Political Wire is a great, great site.”

— Joe Scarborough, host of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe”

“Taegan Goddard has a knack for digging out political gems that too often get passed over by the mainstream press, and for delivering the latest electoral developments in a sharp, no frills style that makes his Political Wire an addictive blog habit you don’t want to kick.”

— Arianna Huffington, founder of The Huffington Post

“Political Wire is one of the absolute must-read sites in the blogosphere.”

— Glenn Reynolds, founder of Instapundit

“I rely on Taegan Goddard’s Political Wire for straight, fair political news, he gets right to the point. It’s an eagerly anticipated part of my news reading.”

— Craig Newmark, founder of Craigslist.

Copyright © 2026 · Goddard Media LLC | Privacy Policy | Corrections Policy

Political Wire ® is a registered trademark of Goddard Media LLC