Faith on the Campaign Trail: 2024 Candidates Speak on Religion

As the United States gears up for its 60th presidential election on November 5, 2024, the landscape is shifting, with familiar faces and a few unexpected turns. This election marks the first since the electoral college votes were reallocated after the 2020 census.

The primary season was brief but decisive, with President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump securing their respective party nominations by March 12. However, in a surprising move, Biden stepped down from the race on July 21, endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris, leaving the Democrats without an official nominee just weeks before their convention.

Here’s a rundown of the key players vying for the presidency, their faiths, and what they have to say about religion.

Donald Trump—Republican Former President Donald Trump, now 77, returns as the Republican frontrunner, with J.D. Vance as his running mate. Trump, who was raised Presbyterian, now identifies as a nondenominational Christian. Reflecting on his faith, Trump once said, “In a certain way, I felt very safe [after being shot], because I had God on my side.”

Kamala Harris – Democrat Vice President Kamala Harris, at 59, stands as the most likely Democratic nominee, with Tim Walz by her side. Harris was raised Baptist, with a strong influence from her Hindu mother. She has expressed that “faith is a verb, and that we must live it, and show it, in action.”

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. – Independent Robert F. Kennedy Jr., 69, now runs independently after a long history with the Democratic Party. A Catholic, Kennedy, has stated, “Getting us to hate each other is all part of the scam. Our nation’s renewal will begin when we treat each other respectfully.”

Jill Stein – Green Party Jill Stein, 73, a veteran of the Green Party, is making another run for the presidency. Raised Jewish, Stein acknowledges her cultural roots, though she is not a practicing Jew. She notes, “I have a lot of respect for many religions and spiritual traditions.”

Cornel West – Independent, a 70-year-old professor and author, is known for his Christian faith and his critiques of race, gender, and class in America. “Salvation is not in our hands,” West asserts, emphasizing the potential for human transformation.

Chase Oliver – Libertarian At 38, Chase Oliver represents the Libertarian Party, advocating for individual freedom and LGBTQ rights. A Christian, Oliver clarifies, “Being LGBTQ does not mean you are anti-Christian or oppose religion in general.”

Randall Terry—Constitution Party Randall Terry, 65, is the Constitution Party’s candidate. He is known for his staunch anti-abortion stance. A Catholic, Terry stresses the importance of morality in governance: “We are not talking about legislating faith. We are talking about legislating morality.”