Progressive Faith Leaders Win Across Republican States

The 2026 midterms brought gains for candidates who campaigned openly on religious faith, including progressive Christian leaders who won races in traditionally Republican states. Winners included Texas Senate-elect James Talarico, Kansas Senate-elect Adam Hamilton, Iowa gubernatorial winner Rob Sand, and Iowa House winner Sarah Trone Garriott, among others; some framed their campaigns around compassion, social justice, and the separation of church and state. Muslim candidates also made notable gains, with six reported House victories, including wins by Adam Hamaoui, Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, André Carson, Aisha Wahab, and Lateefah Simon; one report additionally said Abdul El-Sayed won a Michigan Senate seat and would be the first Muslim senator. The results do not yet establish a unified progressive religious movement, but Democratic organizers say candidates are increasingly comfortable using faith to reach voters and counter conservative religious messaging. Exit-poll analysis also found major shifts among religious voters: Catholics moved toward Democrats, white evangelicals remained strongly Republican but made up a smaller share of voters, and Jewish voters were less overwhelmingly Democratic than in 2024. One interpretation of the Democratic gains is that a focus on practical Christian ethics—doing good and treating others as one would wish to be treated—resonated with voters.