The 2016 presidential campaign has confounded even the most astute political pundits. Conventional wisdom has been upended. Candidates with name recognition, multi-million dollar war chests and impressive public service resumes have underperformed. Self-described “evangelical” voters have shown little regard for the endorsements of those who purport to represent the evangelical community and its values.

Ironically, a plurality of those who have voted thus far in Republican primaries and caucuses has supported a candidate known for coarse language and for building casinos and strip clubs.

Of course, many evangelical church leaders do not endorse political candidates or engage in partisan political activity. But evangelicals care deeply about the health of our nation, and many are perplexed and disturbed by the depravity of much of the campaign discourse. Inciting racial and religious hatred, promoting class warfare, lying about opponents’ records, name calling and vulgarity should have no place in any campaign for election to our nation’s highest office.

Read the full article at Relevant Magazine.

Galen Carey

Galen Carey, NAE vice president of government relations, is responsible for representing the NAE before Congress, the White House and the courts. He works to advance the approach and principles of the NAE document, “For the Health of the Nation.” He is also co-author with Leith Anderson of “Faith in the Voting Booth.” Before joining the NAE staff, Carey was a longtime employee of World Relief, the relief and development arm of the NAE, serving in Croatia, Mozambique, Kenya, Indonesia and Burundi. He received an M.Div. from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and a Doctor of Ministry from McCormick Theological Seminary.