During a recent sermon, the pastor of a megachurch in California supported GOP Senate candidate Steve Garvey, acknowledging that he was breaking the law that prohibits churches from endorsing political candidates.
God Wants a Candidate Who’s “Pro Life”
Pastor Jack Hibbs of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills in Chino, California, challenged his congregants to back Garvey, saying he feels God is calling someone who is “pro-life.” On March 5, Californians will cast their ballots in the state’s Senate primary, where Garvey is still the front-runner among Republicans. Based on its website, the church has around 10,000 members.
You’ve Got to Vote for Steve Garvey
“How are you voting, regarding our upcoming local vote? I want to publicly, right now today, encourage all of you to vote for Steve Garvey. You’ve got to vote for Steve Garvey. I just remembered, it’s against the law for me to say that in the pulpit,” Hibbs remarked.
Steve Garvey Is the Only Guy on the Ballot
Hibbs then stepped down from the pulpit to argue in favor of Garvey, pointing out that his support is based on his status as a citizen rather than the church. “As a public citizen, Steve Garvey is not only one of the greatest baseball players of all time, but we want Steve Garvey to represent us in the Senate, and so Steve Garvey is the only guy on the ballot,” he stated.
Can Pastors Endorse Political Candidates?
For churches to continue to be tax-exempt nonprofit organizations, they are not allowed to participate in certain political activities. Churches are not permitted to support or provide money to any particular political candidate, even if pastors are free to debate politics in the pulpit. However, as citizens, pastors are free to support political candidates.
Freedom From Religion Foundation’s Request to the IRS
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will be contacted by the Freedom From Religion Foundation to “ensure that Pastor Hibbs’ church no longer receives the benefits of 501(c)(3) status and that donations made to his church are no longer treated as tax deductible,” the foundation stated in a post to X (formerly Twitter).
Garvey’s Key Hurdle in the Election
Former MLB player Garvey is favored by many Republicans to challenge Democrats in the state’s Senate election because of its reputation for supporting progressive ideas. If Garvey is to make it to the general election in November, he could encounter a significant obstacle.
The “Jungle Primary” System
One of the few states that still uses the “jungle primary” system is California. In this system, all candidates—regardless of party—run on the same ballot in the March primary election. As voters in the state choose two Democrats to run in November, Republicans will have a struggle as the top two candidates advance to the general election.
Could Republicans Be Locked Out of the Election?
Although surveys indicate that Representatives Adam Schiff, the front-runner in the general election, and Katie Porter, the challenger, are tied for second place and lack a clear front-runner to join Schiff. This implies that Republican contenders may be prevented from running in the election.
Cali Still One of the Most Democratic States in the Country
The race is not seen as competitive, even if Garvey advances to the general because California is still one of the most Democratic states in the union. President Joe Biden received almost 63 percent of the vote in the state in the 2020 presidential election, whereas only over 34 percent of Californians supported Donald Trump.
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