The Value Of Political Endorsements

What does an icon’s endorsement of a presidential candidate mean?

Probably not much since each of these candidates has a tremendous A-list of endorsements behind them, yet the 2024 Presidential race is seemingly tied at about 48% of votes for each candidate.

Elon Musk, Kanye West, Kid Rock, Jason Aldean, and Dennis Quaid have all endorsed Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. On the other hand, J.J. Abrams, Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez, Cardi B, and Jennifer Aniston have endorsed Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris.

America has a unique democratic make-up. It is called a republic and a republic exists so that the citizens of a nation will elect representatives of the republic.

Could it be that we are missing the point of the republic if we skip researching candidates and their stance on the issues, and elect a candidate because they are endorsed by a cultural icon?

I believe we undermine the process and importance of an election when we base our decision for a presidential candidate on who else is voting for them. This is especially true if we have no relationship with or understanding of why someone is voting for a candidate. In actuality, you are voting for the endorsement rather than the direction of our country.

A pop leader, a music icon, or a Hollywood actor have their own reasons for endorsing a candidate. Whether principled reasons of substance, or, personal reasons of selfishness. And if they have their reasons, so should we.

So I want to give you four important principles that should guide each of us while preparing to vote for President of the United States.

Popularity versus Platform

The election of a President is not a popularity contest. The election of a president is a platform contest!

Popular culture should not be what drives us to make a decision. Eloquence or elegance should not elect a candidate for the presidency. Instead, the presidency should be decided by a candidate’s platform.

What are the important issues that define a candidate’s platform?

Here are just a few: How a candidate feels about education reform and standardization and the cost of education is a very important platform principle; A candidate’s view on the economy and inflation and the government’s role in fiscal responsibility; Foreign policy and homeland security; and abortion and other social issues.

Our vote should be more influenced by the stance on the issues rather than the social platforms, the box office, and the tour success of the icons.

The policies that define a candidate’s platform will shape our nation. And the principles that underlie these policies and platforms are what ultimately will become the foundation of our country.

The voter responsibility to elect a president begins with researching the principles of a candidate’s platform. And not getting lost in the long list of iconic endorsements.

Cynicism versus Civility

We need to regain our civility and our nation’s lost unity. I’m sure you remember Congress standing shoulder to shoulder in a powerful show of unity on the steps of the U.S. Capitol during the terrorist attacks of 9/11. After the attacks, the world witnessed an iconic show of love and unity as our nation’s leaders sang “God Bless America”. Where has that gone?

I remember watching the debates as a young person 25 and 30 years ago. The focus was on defining the candidate’s beliefs and a show of respect that existed between the opposing candidates.

Who can forget the 1984 presidential debate between Ronald Reagan and Walter Mondale when Reagan said, “I will not let age be an issue in this campaign. I am not going to exploit for political reasons my opponent’s youth and inexperience.” This is a far more civil and respectful attitude than the personal attacks of anger we see in politics today.

Local versus Federal

Before the information age and the tsunami of social media influence, we made decisions in our country from a local setting. There are about 3,200 counties in America and each is influenced by the local political leaders who are placed in office by the local members of the republic.

Our founders fought to emphasize the importance of local, not just national politics. They believed in the power of the local people to elect the leaders who would shape thought in each of these 3,200 counties.

When we forego the election of local officials, we are losing the foundational principle of the republic. There is much power in local politics than most people believe. And it is a fundamental misunderstanding to think our nation only changes every 4 years with the Presidential Election.

For example, in Australia, if you do not vote you are fined. Maybe we should be placing that much emphasis on voter responsibility in America.

Biblical versus Political

About 90 million Christians in America are eligible to vote, but, somewhere around 40 million fail to vote in presidential election cycles. That means that if everyone in America votes the way they did in the last presidential election of 2020, the Christians who did not vote in the last election could elect the next president of the United States.

All they need to do is vote.

As Americans, it is our privilege to elect a leader of our nation. And yet 15 million Christians aren’t even registered to vote. The harsh truth is that the church has stepped away from its responsibility to act as citizens of this country.

The Bible actually has a lot to say about political participation. At one point in 1 Chronicles 12, it was said that the tribe of Issachar, “understood the times and knew what to do”. They were God’s sociologists who had great ownership of their nation. I believe that begins with voting in our republic.

Finally

Platforms, civility, local involvement, and a biblical emphases must be what inform how we vote. Not iconic endorsements.

Many will excuse themself and point out that they do not vote because no party or candidate has the perfect record of a biblical position. What do we do in that case?

Often, the temptation is to think that voting for a write-in or a personal candidate is the right thing to do. But that’s not the case. All that happens with that approach is a throw-away vote that forgoes the civil responsibility expressed through voting.

Not everyone will come to the same conclusion. And that’s part of the beauty of living in a republic. But if we each use these principles of voter responsibility with integrity and information, you will quickly see that iconic endorsements are not as important as informed engagement.