James Talarico, Texas' Democratic Senate nominee, is putting faith at the center of his campaign. Republicans are pushing back. Control over the U.S. Senate hangs in the balance.<\/p>\n
The Democratic nominee for a Senate seat in Texas, James Talarico, is making faith a centerpiece of his campaign. He's focusing on biblical reasons to support health care, veterans and immigrants. NPR religion correspondent Jason DeRose spent time on the Talarico campaign trail to learn how that message is playing with voters.<\/p>\n
JASON DEROSE, BYLINE: At Brentwood Baptist Church in southwest Houston, Reverend Erick Powers welcomes his congregation to Sunday worship.<\/p>\n
POWERS: It's a good day to be in the house of the Lord, isn't it?<\/p>\n
UNIDENTIFIED CHOIR: (Singing) Guide me, oh, thou great Jehovah, pilgrim through this barren land.<\/p>\n
DEROSE: Politics at Brentwood Baptist is nothing new and it's bipartisan. The Secretary of Education under George W. Bush, Rod Paige, was a member here. A picture of the senior pastor flanked by Nancy Pelosi and Joe Biden hangs in a hallway. On this Sunday, Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico stands at the pulpit.<\/p>\n
JAMES TALARICO: I want to speak to you this morning, not as a candidate, but as a fellow Christian. My granddad was a Baptist preacher in south Texas. And when I was real little, he told me that Christianity is a simple religion.<\/p>\n
TALARICO: Because Jesus gave us two commandments to follow. Love God and love neighbor.<\/p>\n
DEROSE: Talarico is a state representative in the Texas House, a former middle school teacher and a student at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary. This morning, Talarico preaches on a passage from the Gospel of Luke.<\/p>\n
TALARICO: Sometimes we see the world most clearly through our tears. If your heart is breaking as you watch what's happening to our beloved country, it means you still have a heart. So blessed are you who weep.<\/p>\n
DEROSE: In response to Talarico's appeals to people of faith, Republicans have come out swinging. Here's Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick at the state's GOP convention earlier this year.<\/p>\n
DAN PATRICK: I've never seen so much blasphemy from anyone running for office. And let me tell you what. I'm going to pray for that guy because when he loses the Senate race, if he campaigns against God as he's been doing, he's going to hell for sure.<\/p>\n
DEROSE: Talarico has taken those attacks and incorporated them into his campaign as a whole and his message at Brentwood this morning.<\/p>\n
TALARICO: The real blasphemy is kicking the sick off their health care to fund tax cuts for billionaires.<\/p>\n
DEROSE: Sitting in one of the pews is Candice Stroud (ph). She's been a member here at Brentwood Baptist for more than 40 years. Stroud's enthusiastic about the way Talarico embraces his faith.<\/p>\n