Last week, Joe Lombardo was caught embracing far-right, anti-abortion Christian nationalist, David Barton. Barton travels the country promoting the idea that the United States should be governed according to the Bible and he is affiliated with far-right extreme anti-choice and anti-LGBTQ+ groups including Seven Mountains Dominionism, which seeks to influence elections with evangelical extremists who are plotting to control key sectors of society. Jill Douglass, who is running for state senate and is endorsed by the Nevada Senate Republican Caucus, is a member of the American Christian Caucus that believes legal abortion, gay marriage, and divorce “pervert” the Bible.
“Joe Lombardo and Republicans embrace of the far-right couldn’t be more out of touch with Nevadans and our values,” said Nevada State Democratic Party spokesperson Tai Sims. “While Lombardo and MAGA extremists seek to divide Nevadans, Democrats are laser-focused on strengthening reproductive rights, expanding health care access, and bringing down costs for the middle class.”
Read more about Lombardo and the NVGOP’s ties to far-right, anti-choice extremists below:
KUNR: Christian nationalism comes to Nevada Day of Prayer
Key points:
- Nevada is inundated every two years by candidates and political operatives from around the country. This year, that list includes a prominent figure in the Christian nationalist movement. On the first Thursday in May, worshippers, pastors and Gov. Joe Lombardo gathered outside the Nevada State Capitol Building for the National Day of Prayer.
- They listened to songs, invocations, and a lecture by Christian nationalist organizer David Barton.
- Barton travels the country to promote the inaccurate idea that the United States was supposed to be a Christian nation. If the country’s going to succeed, he argued, it needs to return to its biblical roots.
- This wasn’t Barton’s first appearance that day. Earlier, he and Lombardo joined about 80 ministers for a prayer breakfast.
- The private event was organized by Liberty’s Hope, a Baptist ministry in Las Vegas. It was closed to the press, but Pastor Tom Willadsen of Spanish Springs Presbyterian Church was there.
- “[Barton’s] topic was supposed to be a history of prayer in Nevada. And he didn’t touch on Nevada at all,” Willadsen said.
- “[Barton’s] understanding of the presence of Christian faith at the founding of our nation is kind of like: Ben Franklin sneezed, and George Washington said ‘God bless you.’ And based on that, both of them are evangelical Christians,” he summarized.
- Barton didn’t respond to multiple requests for comment.
- But Clarkson said the crux of Barton’s success comes from his melding of religion and politics.
- Barton is affiliated with several branches of the Christian nationalist movement, including Seven Mountains Dominionism, which seeks evangelical control over key sectors of society. Those sectors, or “mountains,” include family, religion, education, arts and entertainment, media, business, and government.
- And Clarkson thinks it’s probably that final mountain that brought Barton to Nevada.
- “[Nevada’s a] swing state. It’s as simple as that. He’s a Republican Party operative, but he’s also a Christian right operative,” Clarkson said.
- But first, they need to get out the vote – and that’s where Barton comes in.
- By claiming the United States is supposed to be a Christian nation, and that its relationship with God is under threat, Barton is trying to motivate evangelical voters with fear.
The Nevada Current: Republican challenging Nevada Senate majority leader has ties to far right Christian group
Key points:
- The Nevada Senate Republican Caucus-backed candidate hoping to unseat Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro describes herself on her website as having “a pragmatic and results-oriented approach” but has previously identified herself as a member of a right-wing Christian organization.
- Douglass has not previously held elected office but last summer challenged Jesse Law as chair of the Clark County Republican Party. (She lost to the indicted fake elector.) At that time, Douglass noted in a public campaign pitch that she is a member of the American Christian Caucus.
- The American Christian Caucus is an affiliate of the National Association of American Christian Communities, and believes churches need to be involved in politics and voice their opinion on “the laws being passed when the Bible is perverted.” Among the examples included on a national blog of things they believe “pervert” the Bible: “homosexuality was legal and encouraged,” “divorce was made easier,” and “abortion was made legal.”
- “We must change the laws to make America Godly again,” reads the post.
- One of the cofounders of ACC, Calvary Red Rock Pastor Gregg Seymour on a podcast last year declared that, “We’re in war time Christianity, and it’s never going to change. Peace time Christianity is over.”
- Douglass did not respond to the Current’s request for an interview or questions submitted via email about the American Christian Caucus and whether her personal political views align with those expressed by the organization.
- Douglass is an ardent supporter of Donald Trump, though the website for her state senate campaign does not mention him. In an interview with Veterans in Politics last summer, Douglass said she would support the former president in his reelection bid and called him “one of the most effective presidents we’ve ever had.”
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