Ralph Reed: 2020 Election Will Be ‘Extremely Close’

“I can honestly say, as one who has been deeply involved in politics since the era of Ronald Reagan, there are more devout Christians surrounding this president and serving the American people in his administration than all previous administrations combined,” Dr. Ralph Reed, well-known conservative political activist and chairman of the Faith & Freedom Coalition, said.

Reed, who began his career accidentally serving Pat Robertson when he was working at a local restaurant and got invited to start what became the Christian Coalition, is now part of the team working to see President Donald J. Trump re-elected.

Reed has an interesting perspective on the current administration, which goes back to March of 2011. He happened to watch an interview with Bill O’Reilly and Donald Trump and was surprised to hear the future president, nearly 10 years before he was elected, speak of his commitment to life, the family and economic growth. Soon afterward, he received a call from a journalist who asked his opinion of Donald Trump. Expressing surprise and encouragement at Trump’s words, Reed said he would like to meet with Trump.

Then his cell phone rang, and it was Donald Trump. “What I remember most about that conversation was that he said twice, ‘I am dead serious’ about running for president,” Reed said. “I told him, ‘If you want to win, you need to get to know Christians,’ and invited him to speak at one of my Faith & Freedom events. He responded immediately and came.”

Reed sees the appointment of Vice President Mike Pence as one of the most significant points in understanding the president, and as most significant in ascertaining the trajectory of an administration.

He views the appointment of Pence, who was and is an extremely committed and godly man, as well as those of Mike Pompeo, Ben Carson, Sonny Purdue, Betsy DeVos, Rick Perry and so many others as clear examples of that commitment.

“One administration official told me, ‘I cannot walk 25 feet in any Cabinet, department, agency or in the White House without seeing one or more committed believers I have known for 20 years or more,” Reed said.

At the same time, Reed is concerned, saying, “I worry because I think the only way to run is scared and like you’re behind. We have to assume that, as in 2016, this race is going to come down to a small number of votes spread out over a handful of states. It is going to be extremely close.”

Reed also pointed out that the strategy to keep Joe Biden under wraps and keep the economy in lockdown are clear indications that the opposition will do anything to defeat Trump.

As one of the pioneers of Christian political involvement, Ralph Reed believes that the movement for faith in our public life has achieved more under Trump than at any time since the rise of the so-called religious right. On personnel and policy, argues Reed, the achievements are historic. It is therefore imperative to re-elect Trump, echoing the words of God, Trump and COVID-19 author Stephen Strang, “I am convinced that the destiny of America is riding on Trump’s re-election.”

Donald Trump grew up in New York. He did not grow up in a strong church setting, but did learn to be respectful of the church, in large part due to his mother, a godly woman.

Another astonishing report, unconfirmed, is the apparent deep and abiding faith of his wife, Melania. It is said that a big part of Trump’s return to the faith of his childhood and at times his interesting choice of Christians to surround him comes from watching late-night Christian TV with his wife.

“No president in history has done more for the church than this president. From moving the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem, to two Supreme Court Justices, to beginning the process of defunding Planned Parenthood, to over 200 pro-life and conservative federal judges, to removing the Johnson Amendment, to demanding religious freedom for believers at the United Nations, the proof is in the results,” Reed said.

As revealed for the first time in his book For God and Country—the Christian Case for Trump, Reed recalls a meeting with nearly 1,000 Christian leaders in New York where Donald J. Trump told the assembled group, “I want to help you get your voice back. You represent millions—up to 60 million or more, but you have lost your voice. I want to help you get it back.”

Deeply concerned that there is a great possibility that the president could lose the election and all the historic victories could disappear, Reed has a challenge for his fellow Christians. “As believers, we need to fast, pray and seek God and educate our fellow believers on what is at stake.” {eoa}

Amir George is the author of Liberating Iraq.