Detroit pastor says progressive candidates are trying to 'virtue-signal' to Christian voters
Detroit pastor Lorenzo Sewell told Fox News Digital that progressive Democrats are actively courting America’s largest religious voting bloc, arguing that they are “virtue‑signaling, placating, and trying to propagate to Christians.” Sewell, who said the U.S. is the country that “protected Israel” and “spread Christianity throughout the world to reach hundreds of millions of people in the last 250 years,” contended that the nation’s founding fathers understood that “the God of the Bible, the Lord Jesus Christ, would give them the ability to start this great nation.” “We’re celebrating 250 years,” Sewell said. “We understand that we’ve been the most benevolent.”
Sewell’s remarks were made in the context of the 2026 midterm Senate races, in which three progressive Democratic candidates—Florida state representative Angie Nixon, former Michigan health official Abdul El‑Sayed, and Texas state representative James Talarico—are competing for U.S. Senate seats. The trio has highlighted their faith as a key component of their campaigns and messaging.
Talarico, a theological seminary graduate, has repeatedly invoked biblical scripture to justify progressive policy positions. In a sermon in Hays County, he spoke to Democrats about “the kind of Democratic Party that takes on big money and isn’t captured by it,” and about “delivering on housing, health care, and education.” Talarico framed Jesus’s mission as one that “fed the hungry, welcomed strangers, and helped the poor rather than engaging in partisan culture wars.” He asked, “What would Jesus do about a tax system that benefits the rich over the poor?” and about a health‑care system that forces the sick to start GoFundMe pages to afford lifesaving surgeries.
Nixon, campaigning in Florida for a Senate seat against Republican incumbent Sen. Ashley Moody, has compared her political platform to the teachings of Jesus. During a service at the Saint Paul AME Church of Jacksonville, she said, “They’re trying, y’all, to label me as this extremist, this radical. But you know, Jesus was a radical.” Nixon has positioned herself as a progressive challenger to the status quo, a narrative that echoes the broader “anti‑establishment” rhetoric embraced by the three candidates.
El‑Sayed, a Muslim running in Michigan against former Republican Rep. Mike Rogers, was asked on the “Progressive Christians Podcast” in May about how Islamic teachings overlap with Christianity and why his platform is being labeled radical. He responded, “Well, you know, Jesus—peace and blessings be upon him—was considered radical in his time, too.” El‑Sayed’s remarks underscored a growing trend of religious leaders from various faiths framing progressive policies as aligned with the moral vision of Jesus.
Sewell has positioned himself against the progressive agenda, arguing that “they know they need to appeal to Christians. But the question becomes: What is their agenda for the church?” He singled out President Donald Trump as the only president with an “agenda for the local church.” “I was with them last week,” Sewell added. “I’ll be preaching at the RNC coming up, and that’s because the president honors the church and honors the presence of God. But you won’t hear Jesus in the DNC. You won’t hear Jesus spoken about through the real Jesus—the God of the Bible.”
The comments come amid a broader national conversation about faith and politics. Progressive candidates have long used religious language to mobilize voters, citing biblical passages to justify positions on healthcare, taxes, and social justice. Critics, like Sewell, argue that such appeals are strategic and do not reflect a genuine theological stance.
The story was contributed by Fox News’ Alex Miller. The events described are part of the ongoing 2026 Senate campaign season and reflect divergent views on how faith should intersect with public policy.