Column: I am Christian and Republican, and I am voting for Joe Biden

Reed Howard [Courtesy]
BY REED HOWARD

VIRGINIA BEACH — I believe in the founding principles of America. I want to preserve our Constitution and make true the promises in our Declaration of Independence. In high school, I volunteered for Republican candidates because they spoke passionately about the founding ideals of our nation. I interned for Republican U.S. Rep. Scott Taylor on Capitol Hill, and I’ve served as campaign manager for two local GOP elected officials. 

I am a lifelong Republican, but I am voting for Joe Biden in 2020. More important than political party, my faith is the foundation of my life. I am a Christian in seminary preparing for my call to ministry. Faith teaches me about the fundamental dignity God bestows in every human. I was talking to a friend about the election, and her eight-year-old daughter said, “Donald Trump calls girls fat pigs.” Our children are listening. 

This man is not a good, moral influence on our country’s youth. The Bible teaches us to welcome the stranger, yet Trump launched his campaign calling Mexican immigrants rapists and criminals, and, in office, he tore children away from their parents at the border. Jesus dines with outcasts and befriends the poor. Trump uses racist language to call impoverished cities “rat-infested” and “—-hole countries.” 

After neo-Nazis rallied in Charlottesville, he said there were “very fine people on both sides.” At the first presidential debate, he would not immediately denounce white supremacy. He makes it comfortable for hate to thrive. He encourages the worst in us. Trump’s words and deeds reveal him to be a fraud at odds with Christian values and biblical teachings. Biden is a man of sincere faith who will restore decency and integrity to the Oval Office.

Beyond character, a president’s adherence to the Constitution is essential. On Wednesday, Sept. 23, Donald Trump would not commit to a peaceful transition of power if he loses the election. This is un-American and anti-democratic. It follows a consistent pattern of disrespect for our Constitution by the President. 

Whether it’s violently dispelling First Amendment-protected protestors, abusing presidential power by threatening to withhold funds from blue states, firing inspectors general or calling press the “enemy of the people,” Trump denigrates our democratic institutions and stomps on the Constitution for political gain. His proposed Muslim registry during the campaign and subsequent Muslim travel ban are transgressions of America’s fundamental value of religious freedom. 

Trump is a threat to America and the rule of law. Biden, on the other hand, has clearly said he will accept the results of the election. He will defend our Constitution and protect the American ideals of our founding. I did not vote in 2016, but in 2020 the stakes are too high to sit out. I am a Christian and a lifelong Republican, and I am voting for Biden. I urge you to do the same.


The author is a resident of Virginia Beach and a graduate student at Emory University’s Candler School of Theology. He is the co-founder of Biden Republicans and a member of The Lincoln Project’s Virginia Steering Committee.


© 2020 Pungo Publishing Co., LLC

Related Posts

6 thoughts on “Column: I am Christian and Republican, and I am voting for Joe Biden

  1. This is all fabricated. 1. The president NEVER called Mexicans rapists and criminals. The correct quote, if you were honest enough to actually use was “When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best….They’re sending people that have lots of problems, and they’re bringing those problems with us. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people.”
    When you say that the president “tore children away from their parents at the border.” That is more misinformation. The president is doing what we the people elected him to do, enforce immigration laws that have been passed by congress. When an illegal alien crosses the border, they have committed crime. We are now enforcing the laws and putting that person in jail to await a hearing. There is a federal law that states children cannot be held for more than 20 days. So the choice is either separate the children or just release the law breaker and the children into the country to never be seen again. If you had your child with you and went to jail, would they send your child into jail with you? As far as a peaceful transition of power, the Obama and Biden team did everything in its power to unseat a duly elected president and the democrat machine ran by Hillary Clinton has repeatedly called for Binden to not concede defeat under any circumstances. You claim to be a Christian, but you are telling half truths in this story and some outright lies. I challenge you to cite your sources of information above, but i am sure you can’t because if you do, you would have to cite them in their entirety and then your positions fall flat due to the amount of dishonesty you used to achieve an editorial piece..

  2. Reed,
    I’d encourage you begin to obtain your information from news sources other than the mainstream media. It has been said that “There is nothing so rediculous that if it is repeated often enough it will begin to be believed as truth.” The traditional news sources are unfortunately ‘democratically biased’ in the information that they are making available and therefore NOT objective.

  3. Sorry, young man, Biden is a front for the progressive Democrats. He’s the image of a gentle, caring man to get the electorate to follow him into the wilderness. Then, Harris and AOC and associates will promise to lead everyone out of the wilderness into the promised land of socialism. I, too, am a Christian, a 71-year-old one who has seen too many wolves in sheep’s clothing, especially politicians who promise the world and then do their party’s bidding. Trump loves America and is not a polished politician; he’s stumbled and fumbled during attacks from every corner and front, but he says it like it is. Return here in 5 years with your viewpoint, please, I would love to read it. Namaste.

  4. Okay, I will not attempt to insult you or your misguided thoughts. After reading your profession, I Will share my opinion. May God bless America!! I read your entire article and it is all a bonified LIE. You present your self as a Christian and Republican yet you did not identify any Republican principles.that exist. You say you are going to vote for a political party that murders unborn and born infants. God’s creations were not meant to be destroyed in the womb with scalpels and suctions devices. They are HIS creations. Your actions are obviously embracing pro-choice.. God made men and women to be fruitful. He is explicit on homosexuality and it being an abomination and they will not entering the gates of Heaven. The DMC platform is explicit that those are their goals. So, i find no choice after reading your story but to conclude that you are a Democrat and a liar. Your entire article without a doubt was written by a hard line demon-rat. I personally do not like to be mean to others but you have put a capital “M” in the word markey. You have failed Christ and his teachings the biggest of which is to lie about being a Christian in order to deceive others.. You need to ask for forgiveness .Amen.

  5. Joe Biden is not a Marxist; however, he has clearly taken a stand embracing the agenda of the progressive left which does embrace Marxism. Marxism is detrimental to the nuclear family. Marxism is antithetical to capitalism and the U.S. economy. Marxism abhors the teachings of the Scriptures and the worship of God. Marxism is anti-American. I am confused with your confusion. I am confused that a professed Follower of Christ could begin to think of voting for a candidate such as Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, who will ultimately become President. She does not hide her disdain for America, her founding and her existence. Beware! You may get what you vote for.

Leave a Reply to Patrick M Ireland Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *