Steve Benen calls the idea of disqualifying non-Christians from Congress plainly insane
Steve BenenProducer for The Rachel Maddow Show and editor of MaddowBlog, writing on MS NOW
Benen writes that roughly one in three Americans are not Christians and that disqualifying them from congressional service because of their beliefs is plainly insane.
“the idea that they should be disqualified from congressional service because of their beliefs is plainly insane.”
Analysis
Where this statement fits
Bernie Moreno says Abdul El-Sayed should be nowhere near Washington, invoking Jesus; CAIR and Interfaith Alliance cite the ban on religious tests
At a Republican rally in Chillicothe, Ohio, on October 28, 2026, Sen. Bernie Moreno of Ohio said Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed, who is Muslim, should be nowhere near Washington. He asked whether El-Sayed understands that "our rights come from God Almighty" and that "Jesus came here for our salvation," and said Republican nominee Mike Rogers would beat him on Tuesday. The Council on American-Islamic Relations called on every senator to reaffirm that the Constitution bars religious tests for public office. Interfaith Alliance said Moreno's comments were an attack on Muslims and on all non-Christian Americans. On MS NOW, Joe Scarborough and Steve Benen also cited the Constitution in criticizing the remarks. We did not find a public response from Moreno to the criticism as of November 1, 2026.
Source and context
Analysis
About this source
A MaddowBlog post by Steve Benen that quotes Moreno's rally remarks at length and argues against them, citing the Constitution's ban on religious tests for office.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
In his October 29 MaddowBlog post, Benen quotes Moreno's rally remarks. He notes that the rally supported an Ohio Republican ticket led in part by Vivek Ramaswamy, who is Hindu, and that Moreno swore to support a Constitution whose Article VI bars religious tests for office.
After the quotation
He writes that he would like to know how many other Republicans agree with Moreno's suggestion that religious minorities be excluded from the Senate.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
Relative to Moreno's remark that El-Sayed should be nowhere near Washington, Benen rejects the religious standard the remark implies and calls it insane.
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- People and groups discussed
- Bernie Moreno
More from this case
Read the full caseCAIR, in a statement by Robert McCaw, cites the Constitution's ban on religious tests in response to Moreno's remarks
Council on American-Islamic Relations
“Article VI of the Constitution is unequivocal: there is no religious test for public office. Imposing sectarian litmus tests to disqualify candidates based on their faith is a direct assault on the pluralistic values and constitutional guardrails that define our democratic republic.”Read statement
Interfaith Alliance, in a statement by Paul Raushenbush, says Moreno's comments attack Muslims and all non-Christian Americans
Interfaith Alliance
“The US Constitution explicitly bars religious tests for public office. Sen. Moreno swore an oath to uphold that US Constitution, but clearly he has not read it - or does not agree with it. The naked Christian nationalism of his comments last night represent an attack on Muslims and on all non-Christian Americans.”Read statement
Joe Scarborough tells Moreno to read the First Amendment
“Just read the first phrase of the First Amendment, the Constitution of the United States First Amendment, Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion.”Read statement
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The Dispute Index. "Steve Benen calls the idea of disqualifying non-Christians from Congress plainly insane". First published: 2026-11-01. Last updated: 2026-11-01. https://disputeindex.com/events/7636-benen-writes-that-roughly-one-in-three-americans