I spent much of the past week on a Caribbean cruise, enjoying a vacation with my family.
Upon my return to the U.S., I discovered that — surprise! — a major election is fast approaching. Who knew?
Seriously, the 2022 midterms are next week, and once again, religion has emerged as a major factor.
Ahead of Election Day, here are five key faith-and-politics storylines:
Power Up: The Week’s Best Reads
1. Georgia on my mind: A closely watched U.S. Senate race pits Republican Herschel Walker, the 1982 Heisman Trophy winner urged to run by former President Donald Trump, against Democratic incumbent Raphael Warnock, who balances time in Washington with his role as a senior pastor in Atlanta.
Related headlines:
• Amid scandals, Herschel Walker hopes voters ‘believe in redemption’ (by Mary Jordan, Washington Post)
• The senator-pastor from Georgia mixes politics and preaching on the trail (by Maya King, New York Times)
• 6 midterm election races where religion could play a major factor (by Deborah Laker, ReligionUnplugged.com)
• Black church tradition survives Georgia’s voting changes (by Sudhin Thanawala and Gary Fields, Associated Press)
• Georgia pastor slams GOP nominee Herschel Walker in fiery sermon: 'We don't need a walker' (by Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today)
2. ‘We need to make America Godly again’: CNN’s Nicole Chavez reports on “the growing political influence of Latino evangelicals.”
At Religion News Service, Alejandra Molina explores the central role of faith in Republican efforts to win Latino votes.