GOP Senate candidate Whatley: 'We don't need separation of church and state'

Republican U.S. Senate candidate Michael Whatley on Monday pushed pastors to run for public office, called on churches to encourage their congregations to register to vote and promoted the dissolution of the separation of church and state.

"We need more men and women of faith in the public square,” Whatley said during a speech at a pastor summit in Raleigh. “We don't need separation of faith and politics. We don't need separation of church and state."

Whatley is seen as the front-runner for his party’s nomination in the race to replace North Carolina’s senior U.S. senator, Republican Thom Tillis, who isn’t running for reelection. He was among the speakers at the summit, hosted by the American Renewal Project, which aims to “inspire the American church to embrace its role in the public square," according to its website.

The group has received criticism from some groups who say it is promoting Christian nationalism, arguing that the blurring of the lines between church and state is harmful to democracy. A group called Christians Against Christian Nationalism planned a protest on Monday outside the summit.

But Whatley and the American Renewal Project say more people of strong faith are needed in public office. “You're the ones that have the influence, that have the day-to-day impact on every single family and every single member of your community,” Whatley told the pastors.

He encouraged them to push their congregations to register to vote — and to recognize “our need to take this state in the right direction — not just the correct direction, the right direction — and we need to be a godly state.”

Whatley’s call comes two months after the Trump administration moved to loosen federal regulations of churches and their political activities. For decades, federal law has prohibited all 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations — including churches — from formally endorsing or opposing political candidates. In July, the Internal Revenue Service said in a court filing that the law should be reversed.

A 2024 Pew Research poll showed most Americans support the principle of separation of church and state. But two-thirds of Republicans say the Bible should influence U.S. laws at least some, the poll found, which is why the group is an important constituency for Whatley.

A significant portion of evangelical Christians identify with the Republican Party. “That political, personal philosophy of religious faith has become so much of a cornerstone of republicanism and Republican Party politics,” said Michael Bitzer, a political scientist at Catawba College.

While Republicans of faith would likely support Whatley in a general election, getting in front of them early in the election cycle — to tell them he supports their perspective — is important for fundraising and for backing at the polls. “Laying that groundwork now is indeed a component of any campaign strategy,” Bitzer said.

Whatley is running against Waxhaw lawyer Don Brown for the GOP nomination. The winner would likely face Democrat Roy Cooper, the former two-term governor of North Carolina, in the general election. Asked to comment on Whatley’s statements, Cooper’s campaign said in a statement that Whatley “chose to spend his time with far-right extremists.”

The organization and Whatley declined interview requests on Monday. WRAL News asked Whatley's campaign for his position on the group and Christian nationalism. A campaign spokesperson didn’t immediately respond to the request.

Whatley also spoke out Monday against officials who want to loosen abortion restrictions, public-health measures that closed churches during the pandemic, the defense of Israel and the appropriateness of books in school libraries.

Whatley has been endorsed by President Donald Trump, who on Monday announced plans to issue guidance on prayer in public schools during remarks to the White House Religious Liberty Commission at the Museum of the Bible.