A group of prominent South Carolina faith leaders are rallying support for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in his effort to woo evangelical voters in the 2024 race.
Eighteen Christian leaders, including pastors, church leaders and theology experts, will lead a network of 100 members, the Greenville News has learned. The list includes leaders from churches based in the Upstate such as Hope Church, which has branches in Greenville, Spartanburg and Simpsonville, as well as educators from Bob Jones University and North Greenville University.
“America is in need of a major revitalization!” said Hotwire Ministries CEO Pastor Mike Gonzalez in support of DeSantis’ campaign. “Our border crisis, crime rates, and steady climbing inflation are bankrupting our nation. These issues are systemic and the result of poor and corrupt leadership. Governor Ron DeSantis will restore truth and common-sense leadership as President and will lead on day one in turning our nation in the right direction.”
Gonzales, who supported Ted Cruz in 2016, said DeSantis was “a family man, a man of faith, and a man dedicated and devoted to his country.”
DeSantis first raised the idea of a national faith-based coalition last weekend in Iowa, where he hosted a “God Above Government” rally in partnership with Faith Wins, a South Carolina group that encourages Christians to vote in accordance with Biblical values.
The South Carolina coalition is the first of its kind. The Never Back Down PAC, a group working to support Desantis’ candidacy, said they expected more state coalitions to be announced in the coming weeks.
Unlike Iowa, where one candidate often dominates the evangelical field, South Carolina Republican primary voters have historically split their vote.
In 2016, white, evangelical Christian voters were split among Donald Trump (34%), Ted Cruz (26%), and Marco Rubio (21%), a Pew Research Center analysis showed. In 2020, Trump’s incumbency and the absence of a state primary, saw Christian Republican voters present a united front. So far, Trump has continued to dominate the field and a new poll showed former SC Gov. Nikki Haley mounting a sizable challenge.
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But, DeSantis has long enjoyed popularity among religious grassroots workers in the Upstate, an influential, conservative voting bloc. Political workers tout DeSantis’ record in Florida as his unique selling point.
DeSantis has signed a plethora of controversial legislation ranging from banning gender-affirming care for youth under the age of 18, nixing funding for diversity, equity and inclusion programs in state colleges, along with banning teachings of “critical race theory” and gender identity.
This year, DeSantis also signed a six-week abortion ban similar to South Carolina’s recently passed legislation.
In August, Florida First Lady Casey DeSantis appeared at a major Republican event hosted by 3rd Congressional District Congressman Jeff Duncan in Anderson. Casey came on DeSantis’ behalf after he chose to stay back to monitor Hurricane Idalia.
At the time, Casey’s surrogate appearance demonstrated a unique thread of spousal power that traditionally does well with evangelical conservatives.
The Florida Gov. and first lady tugged at voters concerned about the preservation of the family unit by mounting their image as a young family, gripped by fears of crayons being scribbled on the walls of the Governor’s mansion and working toward protecting their own children from the so-called “woke” agenda.
Here are the faith leaders in the South Carolina coalition:
- Anderson County – Pastor Albert Howard
- Berkeley County – Rev. Mike Gonzalez
- Darlington County – Barbara Arthur
- Greenville County – Rev. Tony Cribb
- Greenville County – Rebecca Ewing
- Greenville County – Rev. Marshall Franklin
- Greenville County – Pastor Jonny Gamet
- Greenville County – Dr. Renton Rathbun
- Greenville County – Dr. Jason Ross
- Horry County – Bethany Carlson
- Horry County – Allen Causey
- Horry County – Dr. Joseph Dutton
- Horry County – Cal Szalach
- Horry County – James Trent
- Lexington County – Dr. David Smith
- Spartanburg County – Pastor Jim Oliver
- York County – Rev. Joel Talley
- York County – Michele Talley
Devyani Chhetri covers SC politics for the Greenville News and USA Today Network. Reach her via email at dchhetri@gannett.com.