What I’ve Learned About Elections

The most urgent chapter of my forthcoming book, Poverty Abolitionists, is about elections.  

I worked in a bipartisan way for most of my life. When I made political contributions, I divided them between Republicans and Democrats who worked with Bread for the World.

But even if you are an Independent or a Republican—if you care about poverty, climate change, or democracy, it now makes sense to vote for Democrats. It’s crucial that the minority party win control of one or both houses of Congress. I don’t see any other way to constrain our rogue president whose policies are increasing hardship for poor people everywhere .  

We need to give time, money, and votes to candidates and party organizations. It’s important to vote, of course. It’s also important to give time and attention to what’s happening in our country. Time spent stressing and complaining about how bad things are doesn’t change anything. But we can have an impact if we stay informed, engage in thoughtful discussions about current issues with others (including people who disagree), and help to get out the vote among family and neighbors. Only 5 percent of American adults volunteer for a political candidate, but volunteering—door-to-door canvassing, for example—helps win elections.  

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My most controversial election-related recommendation is also the most important: We should make financial contributions to influence politics. According to Federal Election Commission data, only 2 percent of Americans give more than $100 a year to candidates, PACs, or parties. So we leave it to a relatively small group of mostly wealthy people to finance the process by which we decide who governs us. That results in government favoritism toward wealthy people.

Thanks mainly to mega-contributors to President Trump’s PAC, Republicans now have much more money stockpiled than Democrats do. The New York Times reports that Trump’s donors have given nearly $2 billion since his election, with half of them clearly benefiting from decisions he has made. 

Some people feel that billionaire donors in politics make political giving by people of modest means useless. But total giving to charities is roughly 100 times political giving. Yet many people of modest means contribute to charities. Our dollars allow our favorite charities to do more, and political campaigns also need money.

You may hesitate because you aren’t sure how to make your political giving effective. I give to politicians who represent my state and district. I’ve found that it improves my access for legislative advocacy. I also give to congressional candidates from other states who are in close races or are leaders on poverty issues. 

Giving to party committees is another effective way to impact election outcomes. The Democratic Congressional Coordinating Committee and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign  Committee direct their resources to the races most likely to elect Democrats to the House and Senate respectively. The Democratic National Committee directs resources to activities that are most likely to strengthen the party.  

You may feel discouraged, especially now that Republicans are winning the gerrymandering war. But Donald Trump has become an unpopular president. Republicans hold only a three-seat majority in the House of Representatives. During Trump’s first midterm election in 2018, House Democrats flipped 40 seats. To take control this fall, they only need to flip half that number.  There is more opportunity to influence the direction of the country than many people realize.

Imagine if the people reading my newsletter or blog would give at least one percent of their income to elections this year when so much is at stake. Together we would have a significant impact.

I’m also urging churches and other religious communities to do more than they have done in the past to influence the outcome of elections. To be eligible for tax-deductible contributions, churches can’t endorse candidates or parties. But they can certainly speak about the misuse and corruption of religion for political purposes—Christian nationalism, for example, or war in the name of Jesus. They can teach about the ethical and religious values that underlie current political debate—notably, the engineered increase in hunger and poverty. They can organize civil discussions among people who disagree. They can promote voter registration, get out the vote drives, and poll chaplaincies at voting sites where vulnerable people may be subjected to intimidation. 

The ethical values of our nation are at stake in the elections of 2026 and 2028. Churches and other religious communities have a responsibility to help their people reflect on what God wants our society to be. A shift in how religious people vote could change the positions and behavior of both parties for the better.