Former GOP Rep. David Jolly said that there is an “anti-Christian” streak running through the modern Republican Party.
During an appearance on MSNBC, Jolly said that the GOP has “an anti-democratic, authoritarian … xenophobic, culture war, divisive, angry platform.”
“There is an anti-Christian theme in today’s Republican Party. This whole ‘what would Jesus do’ constituency, absolutely not. It is adverse to everything that Jesus would do,” he said.
Jolly said he believes Democrats should “take back that faith argument from a party today who is acting with values antithetical to the Christian and faith-based evangelical movement.”
His comments come as Democrats around the country bemoan the possibility that the U.S. Supreme Court may overturn Roe v. Wade, thereby enabling states to enact abortion bans.
Jolly previously spent time serving as a congressman from the state of Florida — he entered office in March 2014 after winning special election, and then won a full term during the 2014 general election contest. But Jolly lost his 2016 re-election bid to Democrat Charlie Crist.
In 2018, Jolly noted that he had departed from the GOP “and registered with no party affiliation.” Jolly is now the executive chairman of the SAM party.
“We’re creating the new political party for the millions of Americans who are tired of choosing between the lesser of two evils. We’re made up of people who’ve been betrayed by their tribes and are brave enough to build something better,” the party’s website states. “No matter what labels you may have used in the past (or the ones you still do), if you’re tired of black and white choices in this brilliantly colorful world — welcome home.”
In the wake of a deadly mass shooting at a Texas school on Tuesday, Jolly tweeted, “We can forestall the political conversation or acknowledge it. One party is willing to accept the status quo. One party is trying to change the status quo. If gun violence prevention and ending school shootings is what informs your politics, consider voting Democratic.”