DEMS/RELIGION/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “One of the biggest applause lines of Pete Buttigieg’s latest trip to Iowa came when he said: ‘Faith isn’t the property of one political party.’ After years of playing down or even ceding the message of faith and values to Republicans, Democratic presidential candidates are trying to reclaim it in the 2020 election, sharing their own personal faith stories and reaching out to a slice of religious voters who they believe have been motivated and alienated by President Donald Trump, who has bragged about sexual assault and paid hush money to an adult film actress. While past Democrats have shared their faith on the trail, party strategists and observers say it is playing a more central role in the 2020 campaign than they’ve seen in a long time.But the Democratic focus on religion comes with a new twist: While some previous Democratic candidates have used their faith to connect with conservative or traditionalist voters, 2020 hopefuls like Pete Buttigieg, Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and others are using their religion to justify liberal positions on same-sex marriage, abortion and other policy areas that have traditionally animated the conservative religious right in the other direction.”
–Elena Schneider, “Democrats get religion in fight to oust Trump,” Politico, June 12, 2019 8:07 am