Religious Right Rallies for 50-Day Spiritual Campaign Leading to Election
In 2020, Donald Trump’s religious-right supporters initiated the “50 Day Fight,” a spiritual warfare project aimed at securing his re-election. This year, the updated version of the “50 Day Fight” launched on Sunday night, September 15, featuring anti-equality dominionist Jim Garlow as the keynote speaker. The event also included several Florida politicians such as Rep. Anna Paulina Luna.
The “50 Day” concept symbolizes the period leading up to the election and involves all 50 states. A promotional video outlines that participants will pray state-by-state for candidates who they believe will support biblical values in office. The initial gathering included prayers for Alaskan congressional candidate Nick Begich.
Daniel Bernard, president of Somebody Cares Tampa Bay and organizer of the event, stated, “Tonight, we begin 50 days of getting our country back to its Christian foundation.” He emphasized the role of the church as “God’s army,” expecting divine intervention as “captain of the army of angels.”
Jim Garlow, known for his opposition to marriage equality during California’s 2008 Prop 8 campaign, is listed as a “facilitator” on the 50 Day Fight website. Addressing the audience at Community Bible Baptist Church in Pinellas Park, Florida, Garlow highlighted Florida’s unique position to challenge an abortion rights measure on the ballot, unless a miraculous intervention occurs.
Other speakers also encouraged mobilization against Amendment 4, which seeks to enshrine abortion access in the state constitution before fetal viability and when necessary to protect a woman’s health. Rep. Luna, currently in a competitive race, has been evasive about her stance on the measure, despite previously identifying as a “pro-life extremist” and opposing exceptions for “terrible circumstances,” as noted by the New York Times.
Garlow linked social justice to Marxism and warned of threats to American sovereignty from the United Nations and World Health Organization, claiming “globalism is always associated with the spirit of antichrist.” He suggested that Trump’s opposition to the globalist agenda is why he is disliked by people with an “antichrist spirit.”
He also promoted his book, “Re-Versed: From Culturally Woke to Biblically Awake,” which addresses topics like climate change, critical race theory, and diversity, equity, and inclusion from a biblical perspective. Garlow offered bulk discounts and announced a children’s coloring-book version.
Rep. Luna proclaimed, “We are in a spiritual battle for our country,” confidently predicting Trump’s victory in the upcoming election, stating, “come this November, we will have a praying man again in the White House.”
Florida State Rep. Berny Jacques highlighted legislative efforts to combat “indoctrination” in education and teacher training, mentioning a new law allowing chaplains in schools as a step toward reintroducing God into educational institutions.
The event also spotlighted candidates for various local positions, including school board, judgeship, St. Petersburg City Council, and Pinellas County Commission.
The 50 Day Fight website lists multiple religious-right groups as partners and sponsors, such as WallBuilders, the Florida Faith & Freedom Coalition, My Faith Votes, and Intercessors for America. A representative from the Pinellas County-based Florida Faith Foundations called for prayers to “pull down these demonic strongholds that have asserted themselves into the atmosphere of the United States of America.”
