7 Candidates Running for President in 2024

1. Joe Biden (Democratic Party)

Joe Biden has been the United States of America’s president for the last four years and is currently seeking his second term. Prior to being the President, Biden served as Barack Obama’s vice president for both of his terms. During his time in politics, Biden has supported the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act, the 1994 Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, student tax credits, student loan forgiveness, renewable energy subsidies, and the Affordable Care Act, to name a few. Biden also supports the LGBTQ+ community and the decriminalization of cannabis. 

Concerning Biden’s beliefs, he is a Roman Catholic. His wife, Jill, also is a practicing Roman Catholic and they attend Mass regularly. While he keeps his religious life private, he has been reported to have gone to church more times than the last three presidents combined by Senator Chris Coons.

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2. Donald Trump (Republican Party)

Donald Trump was formerly the president of the United States of America from 2017 to 2021. He was not re-elected due to Joe Biden’s win in the 2020 election. Trump is a businessman as well as a celebrity. Many Christians have rallied behind him because of his Christian faith. Trump says he is currently a Protestant Christian and was formerly a Catholic. 

During his last presidency, he expanded federal support for religious schools, reformed the tax code, and signed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. In the past, Trump has been pro-life, and this helped him win the 2016 election. He is not a proponent of LGBTQ+ rights or immigration. If he is re-elected, he promises to cut taxes for Americans and is choosing to focus on the threat of nuclear war rather than environmental concerns, such as climate change. He has recently been found guilty in a hush money trial and convicted of criminal charges.

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3. Marianne Williamson (Democratic Party)

Marianne Williamson is an author, politician, and speaker, running for the 2024 presidential election. She is also known as the spiritual advisor for Oprah Winfrey and has often appeared on Winfrey’s television show. Prior to being Winfrey’s spiritual advisor, she wrote many self-help books, including “A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of A Course in Miracles.” Williamson was formerly the spiritual leader for the Church of Today.

The Church of Today is an Unity Church in Michigan, which holds various beliefs concerning theological matters. Under her leadership, the church grew in popularity due to her accepting diversity and different sexual orientations. She resigned in 2003 from being the leader of the Church of Today. Within politics, she advocates for abortion, Black American reparations, education about climate change, stricter gun control, and universal health care.

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4. Robert F. Kennedy Junior (Independent Party)

Robert F. Kennedy Junior is running for president under the Independent Party. He originally was running as a democratic nominee; however, he switched to the Independent party on October 9, 2023. Kennedy’s name should be familiar to most Americans as he is the nephew of former President, John F. Kennedy. Prior to running for president, he has been a politician, author, activist, and lawyer.

He is famously known to be an anti-vaxxer and founded the Waterkeeper Alliance. Waterkeeper Alliance is an organization that strives to provide children with clean water and educates individuals on the need to oppose vaccines for children. Concerning religious beliefs, Kennedy is a Catholic and strongly opposes abortion. He told EWTN News anchorman, Raymond Arroyo that Catholicism was the centerpiece of his life growing up.

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5. Cornel West (Green Party)

Cornel West is currently running under the Green party for the 2024 election. West is a philosopher, theologian, activist, politician, social critic, and actor. He has also been a professor at Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Union Theological Seminary, Dartmouth College, the University of Paris, and Pepperdine University. West describes himself as a “non-Marxist socialist.” He is also known for publicly criticizing Barack Obama and his presidency.

Through social media, West has denounced the Israel-Hamas war and has been outspoken on the need to end the war. West is a Christian and has stated, “As a Christian, I think everybody could gain much by having a relationship with Jesus.” Because of his faith, he has taught many classes covering theological topics and spiritual matters. He has been called a “Christian socialist” by many news outlets because of his outspoken faith.

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6. Jill Stein (Green Party)

Jill Stein is running for presidency under the Green Party. Stein is an environmental activist, politician, and doctor. Her political views focus on environmental issues, such as the importance of curtailing climate change and taking better care of the environment. Stein also speaks out against police brutality and supports free tuition for students at public colleges as well as abortion. Rather than going along with status norms, she advocates for a Medicare-for-all type of medical system instead of our current expensive healthcare system.

Concerning religious beliefs, Stein grew up in a Jewish community and attended a reformed Jewish synagogue. While she has not been outspoken on her own religious beliefs, Judaism has influenced her and caused her to speak out on the Israel-Hamas war. She is advocating for ceasefire and peace between the countries. She has also criticized Biden’s approach to the Israel-Hamas war.

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7. Chase Oliver (Libertarian)

Chase Oliver is the final individual running for presidency and he is under the Libertarian party. He is an HR representative, political activist, and sales account executive. He is the youngest of individuals running for the presidency at 38 years old. Oliver is also publicly gay and supports LGBTQ+ rights. He expresses the desire to end the Israel-Hamas war and wants to end United States foreign aid to Israel and Ukraine.

Oliver also desires to decriminalize cannabis, abolish the death penalty, and opposes firearm restrictions. He describes himself as “armed and gay.” Being a Christian and gay has caused him to be ridiculed by many; however, he stated on X, “There are many LGBTQ people with a deep faith in the gospel, myself included. Don't question people's faith if you don't know them.”

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Go to God in Prayer before You Vote

Before deciding on who we will vote for, we need to consult the Lord in prayer. Each candidate has many positives as well as negatives. It is important to remember that these candidates are not God themselves. There is only one God and He is the God of the Bible. While we can elect and appoint leaders, in no way are they superior to God. God always needs to be our top priority and we need to run anything a politician says through the lens of Scripture.

Sadly, there are many people who claim to be Christians but are not, and this includes politicians. This is why we need to be discerning, look at their views, and look at their lives. Since we do not know them personally, there is no way to know with certainty that they are a follower of Jesus. With this knowledge in our hearts, let us approach the voting booths with a heart focused on Jesus. We can go to Him in prayer and ask Him who we should vote for in the upcoming 2024 elections. 

“Dear Jesus, I’m not sure who to vote for this year. Please give me discernment and guidance as to who I should vote for. Help me to pick the best candidate for the position and ensure they are someone who truly knows You and loves You. In Your Name, I pray, Amen.”

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