Any Non-Christians running?

[Oswald Acted Alone, You Kook]

All the presidents were Christians, or at least claimed to be. Some may not conceder Mormons Christians, incase Mittens/Huntsman returns, but is anyone admitted to not being a Christian? Could a non-Christian win?

[BaconBacon96]

Unless some Jewish congressman runs, I doubt it.

[ElectionsGuy]

No. A Jew can win (which I don't know how many there are in Congress) but any other religion is doubtful (both in running and winning). A flat out secularist would never win.

[Angel of Death]

No. A Jew can win (which I don't know how many there are in Congress) but any other religion is doubtful (both in running and winning). A flat out secularist would never win.

Your post is implying a false meaning of "secularist". Don't do that. It's bad enough the likes of Newt Gingrich are trying to make it a dirty word.

[RR1997]

Only a Christian or a Jew could win.

The only way I could see an atheist ever winning the presidency in the next 50 years is if another financial crisis equivalent to the Great Depression occurred (which is very unlikely, despite what the Paultards try to tell you), and an atheist was running against the incumbent president.

[SWE]

Bernie Sanders

[politicus]

Only a Christian or a Jew could win.

The only way I could see an atheist ever winning the presidency in the next 50 years is if another financial crisis equivalent to the Great Depression occurred (which is very unlikely, despite what the Paultards try to tell you), and an atheist was running against the incumbent president.

How would a white Buddhist convert be received by Democratic primary voters? He/she may not be able to win the general, but do you think a white Budhist could win the Dem nomination? (if it was an otherwise down-to-earth type)

[RR1997]

Only a Christian or a Jew could win.

The only way I could see an atheist ever winning the presidency in the next 50 years is if another financial crisis equivalent to the Great Depression occurred (which is very unlikely, despite what the Paultards try to tell you), and an atheist was running against the incumbent president.

How would a White Buddhist convert be received by Democratic primary voters? He/she may not be able to win the general, but do you think a White Budhist could win the Dem nomination? (if it was an otherwise down-to-earth type)

A white Buddhist convert could win a Democratic primary (if there were no other good candidates), but there is no way he/she wins the general election in most scenarios, although there are a few scenarios where this hypothetical white Buddhist convert could win.

[ElectionsGuy]

No. A Jew can win (which I don't know how many there are in Congress) but any other religion is doubtful (both in running and winning). A flat out secularist would never win.

Your post is implying a false meaning of "secularist". Don't do that. It's bad enough the likes of Newt Gingrich are trying to make it a dirty word.

I consider myself a "secularist". I didn't mean to say in some dirty way. How about person with no religion?

[Mister Mets]

This seems to be a cycle without any Jewish candidates with a plausible shot at the nomination for either party.

That could change in later cycles. The Democrats have a decent bench of officeholders.

Atheists have a tougher challenge, but there is one guy with the resources to pull off a presidential challenge in an environment where the public prefers an outsider. He happens to be one of the most popular people in the country: Bill Gates.

Obviously, there are probably some closet atheists with a chance at getting elected to significant political office.

[Cobbler]

No. A Jew can win (which I don't know how many there are in Congress) but any other religion is doubtful (both in running and winning). A flat out secularist would never win.

Your post is implying a false meaning of "secularist". Don't do that. It's bad enough the likes of Newt Gingrich are trying to make it a dirty word.

I consider myself a "secularist". I didn't mean to say in some dirty way. How about person with no religion?

That is called an atheist.

[Rockefeller GOP]

No. A Jew can win (which I don't know how many there are in Congress) but any other religion is doubtful (both in running and winning). A flat out secularist would never win.

Your post is implying a false meaning of "secularist". Don't do that. It's bad enough the likes of Newt Gingrich are trying to make it a dirty word.

I consider myself a "secularist". I didn't mean to say in some dirty way. How about person with no religion?

That is called an atheist.

What?  No, it's not.  Something like 15% of Americans identify as "unaffiliated," but only 3% identify as atheists.

[Mr. Morden]

Bernie Sanders

^^^^

[angus]

Could a non-Christian win?

Sure, why not?  An apparent Muslim won in 2008 and 2012.  It could happen again.

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

No. A Jew can win (which I don't know how many there are in Congress) but any other religion is doubtful (both in running and winning). A flat out secularist would never win.

Your post is implying a false meaning of "secularist". Don't do that. It's bad enough the likes of Newt Gingrich are trying to make it a dirty word.

I consider myself a "secularist". I didn't mean to say in some dirty way. How about person with no religion?

That is called an atheist.

What?  No, it's not.  Something like 15% of Americans identify as "unaffiliated," but only 3% identify as atheists.

Quite.  I would think a person who is nonreligious would be called just that - "nonreligious."  "Secularist" has to do with wanting a separation between religion and public life.

[Cobbler]

That is called an atheist.

What?  No, it's not.  Something like 15% of Americans identify as "unaffiliated," but only 3% identify as atheists.

Unaffiliated doesn't mean not having a religion, it just means you don't ascribe yourself to the choices in the poll. There are plenty of Christians in unaffiliated I'm sure that don't really go to church but still believe in God that would call themselves unaffiliated with the big sects of Christianity. Likewise, there are probably a bunch of people in the category that don't believe in a god or religion, but don't call themselves atheists (probably they call themselves agnostics) because it is considered a bad word in the US.

If you don't believe in god(s) or religion, you are an atheist. There is a difference between having no religion whatsoever and being "non-religious" (aka having a religion but not really being that devout or practicing it that much).

[Stand With Israel. Crush Hamas]

I think there's a good chance Sanders comes closer to the nomination than any non-Christian ever has. I doubt he'll actually win it, though.

The small but incredibly pathological group of anti-semites in this country would go absolutely nuts if a Jewish person won the nomination of either party. It would be a year of Rothschild conspiracies and talks of loyalty oaths.

The Republicans are basically devoid of non-Christian office-holders at this point, barring a come-from-behind win for Lee Zeldin. Democrats have a number of Jewish elected officials who could run, but probably not in 2016. Brian Schatz immediately comes to mind as someone who may have his eye on 2020/2024.

As for other religions, it won't happen this cycle, but Tulsi Gabbard would seem to be the only non-Christian/Jewish official in politics right now with national potential. Keith Ellison, Andre Carson, and Kristen Sinema aren't likely to move up from Congress, while Gabbard undoubtedly has her eye on Hirono's seat eventually.

[bedstuy]

Jewish politicians have had a real string of bad luck.  You have the candidates who lost reelection, Coleman, Feingold and Eric Cantor.  You have the candidates taken down by scandal, Weiner and Spitzer.  And, you have a freak accidents in the case of Wellstone and an attempted assassination in the case of Giffords.  If you're only 2% of the population, you can't clear your bench of elected officials like that.

[Stand With Israel. Crush Hamas]

Jewish politicians have had a real string of bad luck.  You have the candidates who lost reelection, Coleman, Feingold and Eric Cantor.  You have the candidates taken down by scandal, Weiner and Spitzer.  And, you have a freak accidents in the case of Wellstone and an attempted assassination in the case of Giffords.  If you're only 2% of the population, you can't clear your bench of elected officials like that.

And of course, there's Lieberman, who was the VP nominee of a man who could have had the nomination with a word, but had the misfortune of running just as the party tilted away from his style of Democrat. From winner of the popular vote for VP, to barely even a blip on the primary radar, to primaried out of the party within six years. Crazy.

There's still a really strong group of Jewish politicians in office, but they tend to be older policy wonk types. Like, Chuck Schumer is one of the savviest and most accomplished politicians in the country right now, but he's not running any time soon.

[bedstuy]

Jewish politicians have had a real string of bad luck.  You have the candidates who lost reelection, Coleman, Feingold and Eric Cantor.  You have the candidates taken down by scandal, Weiner and Spitzer.  And, you have a freak accidents in the case of Wellstone and an attempted assassination in the case of Giffords.  If you're only 2% of the population, you can't clear your bench of elected officials like that.

And of course, there's Lieberman, who was the VP nominee of a man who could have had the nomination with a word, but had the misfortune of running just as the party tilted away from his style of Democrat. From winner of the popular vote for VP, to barely even a blip on the primary radar, to primaried out of the party within six years. Crazy.

There's still a really strong group of Jewish politicians in office, but they tend to be older policy wonk types. Like, Chuck Schumer is one of the savviest and most accomplished politicians in the country right now, but he's not running any time soon.

I see what you're saying with Lieberman, but you could argue that getting the VP slot is by itself incredibly lucky.  Based on Lieberman's charisma and stances, he was never really Presidential material in the first place. 

[emailking]

No. A Jew can win (which I don't know how many there are in Congress) but any other religion is doubtful (both in running and winning). A flat out secularist would never win.

Your post is implying a false meaning of "secularist". Don't do that. It's bad enough the likes of Newt Gingrich are trying to make it a dirty word.

I consider myself a "secularist". I didn't mean to say in some dirty way. How about person with no religion?

That is called an atheist.

Lack of religion implies atheism, but atheism does not imply no religion. For example, the Raëlians do not believe in God(s). There may be significant overlap, but they're not the same thing.

[Starbucks Union Thug HokeyPuck]

Bernie

EDIT: Yes, I understand that he is Jewish, but he is obviously a non-religious Jew.  This is grand, because it means the GOP won't really be able to go after him in that context without looking more awful than they already are. 

[Oswald Acted Alone, You Kook]

So Sanders is a Jewish Atheist? He has no chance though.

[bedstuy]

Bernie

EDIT: Yes, I understand that he is Jewish, but he is obviously a non-religious Jew.  This is grand, because it means the GOP won't really be able to go after him in that context without looking more awful than they already are. 

Campaign theme song?

[Stand With Israel. Crush Hamas]

So Sanders is a Jewish Atheist? He has no chance though.

I think he's secular/non-observant, but not a declared atheist.