Faith Moves to the Forefront: Religious Figures Set to Shape Political Debate in 2026

Religion is no longer a background influence in public life — it is increasingly one of the main drivers of political identity, conflict, and mobilisation. After years of retreat from the public square, faith has returned as an organizing force in American politics, and all signs suggest its visibility will only intensify in 2026.

From immigration crackdowns and culture-war legislation to foreign policy disputes and election campaigns, belief systems are shaping how leaders speak, govern, and mobilize supporters. What once appeared as isolated faith-based activism has hardened into networks, movements, and electoral strategies.

A Resurgence With Consequences

The political year behind us offered a preview. Religious rhetoric intersected with major developments: the return of Donald Trump to power, sweeping immigration enforcement, internal fractures within conservative movements, and heightened scrutiny of religious minorities. Rather than receding, these dynamics appear to be accelerating.

In the year ahead, clergy are stepping directly into electoral politics, activist groups are recruiting congregations as political bases, and religious leaders are becoming frontline voices in disputes over national identity, immigration, and democracy itself.

Below are some of the figures and movements likely to draw attention as faith and power continue to collide.

From Statehouse to Spiritual War Room: Nate Schatzline’s Next Act

Texas legislator Nate Schatzline is leaving elected office, but not politics. The Fort Worth Republican has announced plans to join a national faith advisory body aligned with Trump-era evangelical leadership, declaring that America’s struggles are spiritual rather than ideological.

Schatzline is also a pastor at Mercy Culture, a church known for unapologetically blending theology with political activism. The congregation has hosted explicit candidate endorsements during worship services and operates training programs aimed at turning church members into political candidates. Its expansion plans now extend beyond Texas, with new prayer hubs and church plants planned near Washington’s power centers.

Erika Kirk and the Strain Inside Turning Point USA

Following the killing of her husband, conservative activist Charlie Kirk, Erika Kirk has inherited leadership of one of the most influential youth-oriented political organizations on the right. Her public response — including a widely televised statement of forgiveness rooted in Catholic belief — elevated her into a national spotlight overnight.

Behind the scenes, the movement Kirk now leads is grappling with internal divisions. Debates over Israel, conspiracy theories surrounding her husband’s death, and ideological infighting have exposed deep fractures. As CEO, Kirk must balance political cohesion, religious identity, and her growing role within a conservative subculture that fuses faith, family, and nationalist politics.

Brad Lander and a Shifting Jewish Political Landscape

In New York, religion is reshaping progressive politics in unexpected ways. City Comptroller Brad Lander, a Jewish progressive sharply critical of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, has emerged as a key figure in redefining how faith, identity, and foreign policy intersect on the left.

His political alliance with Muslim candidate Zohran Mamdani helped legitimize Mamdani among Jewish voters and signaled a potential generational shift in attitudes toward Israel. Now challenging a pro-Israel incumbent for a congressional seat, Lander’s campaign may test whether American Jewish political identity is undergoing a deeper transformation.

A Bishop’s Voice Amid Deportation Fears

In Washington, D.C., Catholic Bishop Evelio Menjivar-Ayala has become a moral counterweight to aggressive immigration enforcement. A former Salvadoran refugee himself, the bishop has framed deportation fears through the lens of Christian suffering and solidarity, urging immigrant communities not to withdraw from public life despite mounting anxiety.

Catholic leaders nationwide warn that immigration raids have created a chilling effect, discouraging worship attendance and community engagement. Menjivar-Ayala’s sermons and public writings have placed him among the most visible faith-based critics of current enforcement policies.

Pastors, Protest, and Confrontation With ICE

Few images captured the collision of faith and state power more vividly than footage of a Presbyterian pastor struck with pepper projectiles while praying outside an immigration detention facility in Illinois. The pastor, Rev. David Black, has since become a national symbol of religious resistance to deportation policy.

Black’s activism has expanded from protests to courtrooms, where he successfully challenged federal authorities on religious freedom grounds. His case has inspired broader coalitions of clergy willing to engage in civil disobedience, signaling a growing faith-driven protest movement heading into 2026.

Doug Wilson’s Expanding Reach Into Power

Once confined to niche theological circles, Idaho-based pastor Doug Wilson now commands attention in elite conservative spaces. His influence has expanded alongside senior government officials who attend churches tied to his denomination, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

Wilson’s ideas — ranging from Christian nationalism to restrictive views on gender roles — have sparked controversy, but his presence at major conservative conferences and proximity to federal institutions underscore how theological movements are gaining proximity to state power.

Mehdi Hasan and the Muslim Media Counterweight

Journalist Mehdi Hasan has taken a different path. After losing his cable television platform, he built an independent media outlet that has grown rapidly by embracing an overtly progressive stance and challenging conservative narratives — particularly around Israel, Gaza, and Muslim identity.

While Hasan’s work is not overtly religious, his insistence on defending Muslim Americans against political attacks has positioned him as a prominent faith-adjacent voice in national discourse. His message is blunt: religious minorities are not temporary participants in American politics — they are permanent stakeholders.

Frederick Haynes and the Return of the Political Pulpit

In Texas, longtime pastor Frederick D. Haynes III is seeking federal office, extending a career that has always blurred the line between ministry and activism. Known for outspoken positions on voting rights, labor policy, and economic justice, Haynes now aims to bring his theology directly into Congress.

If elected, he would join a small but growing cohort of clergy-legislators, reinforcing the idea that the pulpit remains a viable launching pad for national political leadership.

Faith at the Border: Sister Leticia Gutiérrez

At the U.S.-Mexico border, Sister Leticia Gutiérrez operates far from campaign stages but at the heart of the immigration system. She accompanies migrants through court proceedings, prepares them for detention, and helps them maintain contact with family members.

Her work exemplifies a quieter, service-oriented form of religious engagement — one that nonetheless challenges state policy by bearing witness to its human cost.

Vivek Ramaswamy and the Question of Belonging

Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy has repeatedly been forced to defend his Hindu faith against claims that American identity is inherently Christian. His response has been constitutional rather than theological, invoking the nation’s rejection of religious tests for office.

As segments of the MAGA movement push an exclusionary definition of national belonging, Ramaswamy’s candidacy highlights an unresolved tension: whether American conservatism can accommodate religious pluralism without fracture.

Looking Ahead to 2026

What unites these figures is not doctrine, but momentum. Religion is no longer a background influence — it is a visible, organizing force shaping political coalitions, conflicts, and campaigns.

As 2026 approaches, faith-driven voices will not simply comment on politics. They will contest elections, challenge state power, redefine national identity, and reshape the boundaries of public debate.