Please God, Endorse Me
Media figures often talk about how there are two different kinds of primaries going on: the electoral primary—decided by caucuses, primary elections, superdelegates, and a party convention—and the invisible primary.
The invisible primary is made up of two components: fundraising and endorsements. The fundraising category is further split into money raised by Super PACs, organizations that pool contributions to support either specific issues or candidates (but not in coordination with the candidate), and money raised by a candidate’s actual campaign. On the endorsement side, there is also a split—endorsements from current elected officials and endorsements from others, such as former elected officials, political organizations, and grassroots leaders.
These endorsements factor so heavily into the presidential race that the website FiveThirtyEight has created an entire project devoted to tracking the “endorsement primary.” This is done through a point system that assigns values to different endorsements; governors’ endorsements count more than senators’ endorsements, which count more than representatives’ endorsements, and so on. There is, however, one endorsement that almost all candidates seek—and one that many candidates concurrently claim to have received—that doesn’t fit any of these categories: an endorsement from God.
Candidates seek God’s endorsement in many ways. Some use implicit language, while others choose to take a more direct route.
Take Hillary Clinton, for example. Democrats are not known to seek out the religious voters, but Clinton tries hard to get an endorsement from the Almighty. One of her favorite phrases on the campaign trail is a variation of this: “I want to help every child live up to their God-given potential.” Though it may not seem like it, she is implicitly telling voters that God has chosen her to help fulfill the potential that He has given to His children. Clinton seems to feel as if she is the prophet that has been sent to lead the people.
Other candidates use more explicit language. Ben Carson, for instance, told Fox News two years ago that he would only run for president if “God grabbed me by the collar and asked me to run.” Dr. Carson and God were apparently in communication in the months following that statement, since Carson did eventually decide to enter the race. If God asketh, then God endorseth.
Let’s see if the pattern of soliciting God’s endorsement holds up for candidates who haven’t fared as well as Clinton or (pre- December) Carson. Up next: Scott Walker. In his first letter to his supporters, he wrote, “I needed to be certain that running was God’s calling—not just man’s calling. I am certain.” And in bold, he wrote, “This is God’s plan for me.” It’s safe to assume that Walker may have had his ears clogged, since he ended up being the first Republican to drop out of the race.
On to the candidate who is perceived to be the most evangelical of all: Ted Cruz. His father, who is a preacher, said that the “presence of the Holy Spirit” was in the room when his family was praying for guidance about whether Cruz should run. Cruz must have received the go-ahead from the Holy Spirit, since he left that room decided on running. Cruz is also known for often quoting from the Bible on the campaign trial. Seems like he’s trying pretty hard for that endorsement.
Another way that candidates have sought to gain God’s support is by seeking out the endorsements of religious leaders. One candidate who has used the strategy is Donald Trump. The Donald has been endorsed by popular evangelical leader Jerry Falwell Jr., the president of Liberty University. Trump has also started opening his rallies with prayers delivered by ministers and preachers, further adding to his endorsements from religious leaders.
It seems like many candidates have, in some form, heard the word of God. Their strategy on this issue seems clear; God’s, on the other hand, does not. Judging by the number of candidates who claim to have received His endorsement, one could say that the representative in the robe can’t seem to make up His mind! It seems fairly evident that all candidates want (and actively seek out) God’s endorsement. This is because no other endorsement could ever count as much as God’s in a country where 88 percent of the population believes in His existence. For most of these people, God is very important; He has claim on territory that no politician will ever be able to have. An endorsement from Him would be the single biggest vote-shifting endorsement in history—now, if only a candidate could prove they actually got it.