Religious Left May Be Key to Successful Liberal Activism

In 2021, religious figures capturing political headlines usually come from the far right. Their engagement ranges from pushing for restrictions on abortion and LGBTQ rights to relentlessly promoting former president Donald Trump. Most recently, right-wing pastors have offered to help people receive religious exemptions from coronavirus vaccine mandates in exchange for contributions. As midterm election campaigns kick off, religious conservatives will mobilize behind Republicans, looking to build on recent gains in places like Texas. While figures like the Rev. William Barber, who founded Moral Mondays, continue to agitate from the religious left, they have far less impact on national politics.