“Your rulers are rebels, partners with thieves; they all love bribes and chase after gifts. They do not defend the cause of the fatherless; the widow’s case does not come before them.” Isaiah 1:23
Every pundit anticipated the Democrats would flip the House of Representatives in the Midterm Election yesterday, but nobody expected the “Blue Tsunami” that turned both the House and the Senate upside down. While the president is blaming everything and anyone but himself for the disastrous defeat of Republican candidates in almost every state, analysts are convinced that people took the president’s advice and pretended he was on the ballot. He expected loyalty and devotion, but what he — and his Republican enablers — got was a stern rebuke.
Tuesday’s election was a stern rebuke of the president’s grift for the past 22 months. In a survey taken by Fox News in mid-October, 88% of respondents were either “extremely concerned or very concerned” about corruption in government — higher than their concerns about inflation and high prices (85%), gas prices (83%) and healthcare (80%)! According to American Oversight, a nonpartisan watchdog organization that advances truth, accountability, and democracy, the president, his family and friends have amassed billions of personal wealth since he began his second term. Forbes Magazine estimates that he is $2.7 Billion wealthier today than he was in January 2025. Much of his new money has come from his cryptocurrency, “pay-to-play” gifts (aka bribes) , and anyone willing to pay him $100,000 per month for early access to policy information (aka “insider trading). Voters said, “Enough!” The entire Republican party was rebuked for doing and saying nothing about the president’s corruption.
Tuesday’s election was a stern rebuke of cronyism. The president (with the confirmation of Republican senators) has appointed friends, family members, and loyalists who will do his bidding to powerful positions. (Think Todd Blanche or Pete Hegseth). Voters said, “We demand accountability!”, and sent them packing.
Tuesday’s election was a stern rebuke of corporate money in politics. Nobody spends more money on Republican candidates than Elon Musk, the richest man in the world. He donated at least $474 million on the Midterm election with $212 million of that going to Texas Republican Senate candidate John Paxton. Despite all that money, Texas voters rejected Paxton and elected James Talarico instead — who took zero money from corporate Political Action Committees. Voters said, “Elon, when your money talks, we won’t listen!”
Tuesday’s election was a stern rebuke of White Supremacy. For the first time in American history, Keisha Lance Bottoms, an African-American woman, will serve as Governor of a state (Georgia), and Deb Haaland, an Indigenous American, will also serve as governor (New Mexico). For the first time in American history, a Muslim man — Abdul El-Sayed — will sit in the Senate. For the first time in American History, 44% of the states will be governed by African Americans and women! And…if he wins when all the ballots are counted, Scott Colom will become the first African American senator from the state of Mississippi since Reconstruction. (Hiram R. Revels was elected in 1870 and served one year.) Across the country, people of every race, religion, ethnicity, gender, identity, and orientation were ushered to a seat at the political table — a rebuke to those who would limit participation to white Christian men. Voters clearly said, “Diversity makes us stronger, not weaker.”
Tuesday’s election was a stern rebuke of the Christian Right. I say that with a mixture of sadness and hope. Since the rise of Jerry Falwell and the Moral Majority, the Republican Party has been promoted as the only party standing up for godly values while the Democratic Party has been labelled the “evil” party in bed with the devil, out to destroy the foundations of our faith. For decades, Republican politicians — with the endorsement from prominent pastors — have used this trope to mobilize an army of Christian voters. And that army ushered Trump into the Oval Office twice — despite his adulteries, lewd behavior, lies, cruelty and felonies. He was hailed as the defender of morality and the protector of Christian faith by the prophets of the Seven Mountain Mandate. He was the one chosen by God to lead America into spiritual renewal. And the ‘sheeple’ followed him…. until Tuesday. On Tuesday, people of faith voted differently — choosing candidates who promoted a politics of love and the morals of compassion for the poor, the vulnerable and the oppressed. Seminarian James Talarico along with newly elected pastors Adam Hamilton and Frederick Haynes III will join pastors Raphael Warnock and Emanuel Cleaver in the Senate. And Iowa will send two pastors to the House of Representatives. Voters said, “You shall not misuse the Lord’s name”, and reminded the nation that Jesus is the Prince of Peace — not a warmonger.
Isaiah’s stern rebuke to the rulers who had failed to fulfill their role as defenders of the most vulnerable (Isaiah 1) was mirrored on Tuesday — a hopeful sign that we have collectively turned toward God’s call to pursue peace and justice. One can only hope that the leaders of all Parties got the message and will change their ways.
