Democratic Women Faith Leaders Challenge GOP's Christian Nationalism

More clergy members are running for Congress as Democrats to reclaim religious values from the Republican party.

Apr. 17, 2026 at 9:06pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A serene, photorealistic painting of a church steeple or cross in soft, warm light, conveying a sense of quiet contemplation and the intersection of faith and politics.As the GOP embraces Christian nationalism, Democratic women clergy members are running for Congress to reclaim religion and appeal to moderates.Des Moines Today

A growing number of Democratic women clergy members, including Sarah Trone Garriott in Iowa, Lindsay James in Iowa, and Anna Golladay in Tennessee, are running for Congress this year. They are motivated by the Republican party's embrace of Christian nationalist rhetoric and policies under the Trump administration, and aim to bring a more progressive, empathetic vision of faith into the political sphere.

Why it matters

The 'God Gap' in American politics, where Republicans draw heavily from religious voters while Democrats rely more on the religiously unaffiliated, has been a defining feature. These Democratic faith leaders hope to appeal to moderate voters, mobilize turnout, and reclaim the narrative around the intersection of religion and politics from the Christian nationalist wing of the GOP.

The details

Sarah Trone Garriott, an ordained Lutheran minister, decided to run for Congress in Iowa's 3rd District after becoming increasingly concerned about the direction of her state and country under Republican leadership. Lindsay James, a Presbyterian chaplain, is running in Iowa's 2nd District, inspired by the harm she's seen from federal policies. Anna Golladay, a former Methodist pastor in Tennessee, was motivated to run in the 3rd District after the deaths of immigrants in Minneapolis. All three women see their religious backgrounds as an asset in connecting with voters, even in conservative-leaning districts.

  • Trone Garriott was first elected to the Iowa state legislature in 2020 and re-elected in 2024.
  • James won a seat in the Iowa House of Representatives in 2018.
  • Golladay is mounting a long-shot bid to flip Tennessee's 3rd Congressional District in 2026.

The players

Sarah Trone Garriott

An ordained Lutheran minister since 2008 who served as a state legislator in Iowa before deciding to run for Congress in the state's 3rd District.

Lindsay James

An ordained Presbyterian minister who has served as a chaplain at several college campuses and is currently an Iowa state legislator running for Congress in the state's 2nd District.

Anna Golladay

A former Methodist pastor in Tennessee who is mounting a long-shot bid to flip the state's 3rd Congressional District.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“I was looking for a way forward. How can I have hope in this moment? What can I do next? Because whenever I see a problem, my response is, how can I make things better?”

— Sarah Trone Garriott, Ordained Lutheran Minister

“It became so clear to me in that moment, looking into the eyes of my daughter, what was at stake. And I had a deepening sense of call that everyone who is able to do more should do more.”

— Lindsay James, Ordained Presbyterian Minister

“I have many friends who are faith leaders in Minneapolis, and I was keeping up with them and the work that they were doing in the streets. And I just had this kind of unending nag that I needed to do something.”

— Anna Golladay, Former Methodist Pastor

What’s next

Trone Garriott, James, and Golladay will continue their campaigns leading up to the 2026 congressional elections, seeking to flip their respective districts from Republican to Democratic control.

The takeaway

These Democratic women clergy members represent a growing trend of faith leaders running for office to challenge the Republican party's embrace of Christian nationalism and reclaim the narrative around the intersection of religion and politics.