Former lawmaker says Democrats can take back the evangelical argument.
QUICK FACTS:
- Former GOP Rep. David Jolly called out Republicans, saying there is an “anti-Christian” element running rampant in the Republican Party today.
- During a recent interview, Jolly cited the party’s “anti-democratic, authoritarian … xenophobic, culture war” as well as its “divisive, angry platform” as proof that the party is “anti-Christian.”
- “There is an anti-Christian theme in today’s Republican Party. This whole ‘what would Jesus do’ constituency, absolutely not. It is adverse to everything that Jesus would do,” Jolly said
- The lawmaker also said he believes there is an open door for Democrats to “take back the faith argument from a party today who is acting with values antithetical to the Christian and faith-based evangelical movement.”
JOLLY’S CAREER IN POLITICS:
- Jolly was a Republican representative in Congress during the Obama years.
- In 2018, Jolly noted that he had departed from the GOP “and registered with no party affiliation.”
- Jolly is now the executive chairman of the SAM party: “We’re creating the new political party for the millions of Americans who are tired of choosing between the lesser of two evils. We’re made up of people who’ve been betrayed by their tribes and are brave enough to build something better,” the party’s website states.
- “No matter what labels you may have used in the past (or the ones you still do), if you’re tired of black and white choices in this brilliantly colorful world — welcome home,” the site goes on to say.
BACKGROUND:
- Jolly was a congressman from the state of Florida who entered office in March 2014 after winning a special election and later winning a full term during the 2014 general election contest.
- Jolly lost his 2016 re-election bid to Democrat Charlie Crist and has since moved on to third-party efforts.
- The former GOP lawmaker also encouraged voters to support Democrats “if gun violence prevention” is of concern to them.
