Many believe that November’s US Presidential election is a two-horse race between Democrat Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump. That is not the case; smaller parties and candidates can and do take part, although their chances of winning the Presidency are zero.
One party on November’s ballot is the American Solidarity Party (ASP), a Christian Democratic organisation that was founded in 2011 and has numerous active state and local chapters. Peter Sonski is the party’s nominee in 2024. The ASP is socially conservative and believes that all people are created with an equal and inviolable dignity before God.
Professor Karen Swallow Prior (see en interview, February 2024 ) is a writer and academic whose works include The Evangelical Imagination: How Stories, Images, and Metaphors Created a Culture in Crisis. She also serves on the ASP’s Advisory Board. Evangelicals Now asked her about the impact it may have on the election.
en: Why do you think ASP was formed in the first place?
It was formed in order to offer voters candidates who adhere to a more consistent life ethic and policies that recognise both sanctity of life and quality of life. The two major parties seldom if ever present candidates who reflect these views or advance such policies.
en: How credible are its backers/candidates?
Despite being a newer minor party, ASP functions as major parties do with committees, caucusing, and a robust platform. Those in the party and its candidates are regular citizens who are credible in their commitment to the ideals of a democracy rooted in Christian principles that advance flourishing for all.
en: Do you think its policies and personalities resonate well with US Christians? Why/why not?
As it is so young, many voters still know little about the ASP. Yet, even in its short existence, it has gained momentum in terms of number of votes received, local chapters, and states in which they are allowed on the ballot.
en: How different are those policies from those of the two main parties? Will that win them votes?
ASP is pro-life from womb to tomb. The sanctity of human life is one of the party’s central tenets. Neither of the two major parties hold such a position. Yet, this isn’t a position or policy that is just about establishing laws against things. ASP also advocates for policies that support families, support workers, and protect the environment. What makes it unique, overall, is the way it attempts to balance individual human dignity and the common good.
en: Why might US Christians support it, given how poorly alternative candidates always perform in US elections?
The only way to advance alternative candidates and the views they represent is to stop voting for the unacceptable candidates our broken two-party system keeps producing. If third-party candidates siphon off enough votes to make or break a major candidate’s election, the two major parties will take more seriously the policies we want.
en: What impact might the ASP have on the two main candidates before November?
It promises to be a tight race between them. If they are wise, they will listen to the small percentage of voters for third parties and try to win them over.
en: And anything else you might wish to say about ASP?
While America has been a two-party system throughout its history, those parties have evolved and changed. Serious minor parties can influence such changes and the evolution of major parties. The Libertarian Party is one example. I believe ASP can be another.
As a Christian, I trust the outcome of the election to God. At the same time, I believe I am accountable to God for how I vote and who I vote for. We are all accountable. If enough of us voted for a minor party candidate that better reflects the principles of our faith, that candidate could win.
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