Has Graham endorsed a candidate? Not directly. But it’s not hard to figure out where he’s leaning. Hear him in his own words:
While he stopped short of offering an official endorsement, Graham said, “You may have to hold your nose and vote… I have people that say, ‘Well I don’t like Donald Trump, I don’t like what he says.’ Well I don’t like what he said either, I promise I don’t like it. But those are things that he said 11 years ago, not something that he said today. I think Donald Trump has changed. I think God is working on his heart and in his life. But people have to make up their own mind.”
Graham also claimed that Trump has changed and isn’t the same man he was 11 years ago when a microphone picked him up discussing grabbing women. He also told the Christian Post, “There’s two different pictures and two different visions for America. The Democratic Party has a vision, Hillary Clinton has a vision, Donald Trump has a totally different vision for this nation with the Republican Party. This isn’t difficult to figure out if you are a Christian.” — Christianity Today
On Saturday, Graham also posted remarks on Facebook, referencing the “depth of corruption” in the Washington politics manifested by recent Wikileaks revelations.
“WikiLeaks is giving us a much clearer picture of the depth of the corruption that is thriving in our nation’s capital,” Graham wrote, calling it “a swamp that needs to be drained.”
While quick to note that Washington DC corruption is widespread “not just in one party,” his comments were triggered specifically by revelations regarding members of Hillary Clinton’s campaign team.
“Our political system is broken, and it will take strong, tough leadership to begin fixing some of this,” Graham said.
Rev. Graham urged all Christians not to sit the election out, but to exercise their right and duty to vote, appealing to the example of Saint Paul as a Roman citizen.
“We are citizens of the United States of America, and we need to exercise our rights by voting. We’ve got to let the Christian voice be heard at the ballot box before it’s too late,” he said.
Whether you agree with him about his views on the choices before us or not, Christians will be able to agree with what he said on voting day itself. Early on voting day, he offered this message (also by Facebook):
I continue to pray for our nation as Americans go to the polls today, that God would guide and direct each voter according to His will and purpose. God may choose to bless our country again, or He may bring judgment, which we deserve. My prayer is that He would show us His grace and mercy.
The Bible says, “For we do not present our pleas before you because of our righteousness, but because of your great mercy. O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive” (Daniel 9:18b, 19a). If ever America has had a time of need, it is today. I hope you are praying.
Whatever the outcome, there is the potential for big changes in how our country is run.
