HOUSTON,TEXAS—Pollsshowthatanoverwhelmingmajorityofnon-denominationalChristianevangelicalsplantovoteforRepublicanPresidentialcandidateDonaldTrump,despitechargesofimmoralbehavior.Manynationallyknownleadersoftheso-calledChristianrightwerecriticalofTrumpwhenheraninprimariesearlierthisyear,butmostofthemnowbackhim,despitehisallegedsins.
ManyChristianpastorsfavoredothercandidates,likeTexasSenatorTedCruz,intheRepublicanprimarycontestsearlierthisyear.TheycitedDonaldTrump’stwodivorces,hiscasinoownershipandwhatsomeofthemsawashis“unChristian”statementsaboutimmigrantsandrefugees.
ButvoterswhoidentifywiththeChristianrighthelpedTrumpwininmanystateswherenationalpunditsthoughthewouldnotfarewell,likeSouthCarolina,whichwassupposedtohavebeenaneasywinforCruz.
NowthatheistheRepublicanpresidentialnomineeandisinatightracewithDemocraticnomineeHillaryClinton,manyreligiousleadershavechangedtheirtune.
EvenafterseveralwomenhaveaccusedTrumpofsexualmisconduct,alargemajorityofconservativeChristianssupporthim.VOAspoketoafewofthemoutsideanon-denominationalchurchinHouston.
“Iamnotexcusinghim,okay?”saidJulio.“ButIdon’tseewhytheycondemnhimwhenalotofothermenprobablydoworsethanhim,youknow.”
Julio,animmigrantfromGuatemalawhoisnowasuccessfulbusinessmaninHouston,alsodismissesTrump’sharshrhetoricconcerningillegalimmigrants.HesaysheisalsoagainstcrimeandthinksthereshouldbeawayforpeopletocomelegallyratherthanbreakingU.S.lawwhenenteringthecountry.
Alan,anotherchurchgoer,sayshelikesTrump’sbusinessbackgroundandhiseconomicplansandisnotbotheredmuchbyhismoreoutlandishstatements.
“Sometimeshesaysmorethanheshould,buthehasgoalsandvaluesthatalignwithmine,”saidAlan.
