LA CROSSE (WKBT) — During a recent campaign stop in Sparta, Republican candidate for Congress Derrick Van Orden claimed that “Leftists” cannot be Christians.
“There are many God-fearing Christians who are Democrats, there’s not a single God-fearing Christian that is a leftist, because those two things are incompatible,” Van Orden reportedly said.
He then called for a return to the Judeo-Christian values that “this country was based on.”
Van Orden’s opponent Brad Pfaff, a Democrat and practicing Lutheran, said during a press conference that the comments were “an attack on anyone that doesn’t agree with Derrick politically.”
A local retired pastor agreed and says he felt hurt by the comment.
“When one part of the faith calls another part not faithful, or not Christian, it’s deeply hurtful. It’s hard work and I’m standing here to say I would like to bring unity and peace among people of faith,” said Mark Jolivette, a retired Lutheran pastor.
Van Orden responded to Pfaff’s press conference but did not address his comments on faith.
“Brad Pfaff supports the big government socialist spending that has led to the highest inflation in 40 years, the open border that has led to over 100,000 Americans dying from fentanyl overdoses, and the FBI labeling parents at school board meetings ‘domestic terrorists.’ Pfaff is the radical here and will say anything for personal political power,” Van Orden said.
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