U.S. Protestant pastors and political endorsements

A Lifeway Research study indicates that 93% of U.S. Protestant pastors do not intend to endorse political candidates during worship services. This neutrality persists despite a shifting legal landscape regarding the Johnson Amendment, a 1954 tax code provision that historically prohibited tax-exempt organizations from endorsing or opposing candidates.

While a 2025 settlement with the IRS suggested that endorsements through usual communication channels might not result in tax consequences, the legal status of such actions remains uncertain. A district court judge in the Eastern District of Texas rejected the settlement, ruling that federal courts lack the jurisdiction to alter tax status or create exemptions.

Research shows demographic variations in the inclination to endorse candidates. African American pastors (11%) and pastors of other ethnicities (9%) are more likely to plan endorsements than white pastors (4%). Additionally, Pentecostal (13%), Baptist (9%), and non-denominational (7%) pastors show higher inclinations toward endorsements compared to Lutheran (1%) or Methodist (1%) pastors.