Mixing Politics and Faith to Woo Md. Voters

On the morning Steele went to Glenarden, he moved easily among pastors and churchgoers who greeted him as an old friend, locking arms and pulling in for a warm embrace. He and Cardin worked opposite ends of the same small meeting room, at one point nearly colliding at the buffet table as Steele poured coffee and Cardin grabbed an apricot danish.

In another part of the room, Montgomery County Executive Douglas M. Duncan (D), a candidate for governor, strolled past Del. Anthony G. Brown (D), who is on the gubernatorial ticket with Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley (D). Prince George's County Executive Jack B. Johnson (D) watched the scene unfold, marveling at the turnout.

The ministers typically avoid actual endorsements, for fear of endangering their churches' tax exempt status. But their congregations can often pick up on their preferences, particularly if a candidate is allowed to sit in the pulpit, rather than the pews, and address the crowd.

The event's organizer was the Rev. Jonathan Weaver, pastor of Greater Mount Nebo AME and founder of the Collective Banking Group, which includes about 200 pastors and business leaders across the Washington region. He said he welcomed the presence of so many elected officials. "I sense there is a changing dynamic today because politicians understand the power and influence of the church," he said, "and I think the church and its leadership recognize that it is our responsibility to hold elected officials accountable."

Although some people travel from the District or Virginia for services, most parishioners in the larger Maryland churches come from within the state.

Not all welcome the visits from politicians. "You shouldn't mix politics and faith," said Rebecca Holley, a Girl Scout leader at the Glenarden church. "We need leaders to support our youth and programs and not just come looking for votes."

But religious leaders believe the attention can only help. Many large churches operate a host of ancillary enterprises -- schools, senior centers, day-care facilities and community housing -- that could benefit from state and federal assistance.

Earlier in the year, when Cardin accepted the endorsement of the Rev. Marvis May, the two took time to tour Macedonia Baptist Church and its faith-based community projects in Baltimore.

"I have always been committed to partnering with our faith leaders to help them better serve their communities and to create hope and opportunity for every Marylander," Cardin told the gathered church leaders.

Steele, too, has championed faith-based programs, though it is unclear how successful the enterprise has been, given the limits placed on spending state money on religious activities.

The Rev. John Heath, who oversaw the start-up of Maryland's faith-based program under Steele's direction, said the intent was to provide churches with technical assistance and point them to available grant money, most of it from federal programs.

"This wasn't about giving money to churches or having a slush fund to try and buy off black churches," said Heath, who now oversees community initiatives at the Maryland Department of Human Resources.

Not all churches are interested in building up political clout, however. Last weekend, when the Rev. John A. Cherry held a four-hour service at Verizon Center to step down from the helm of the 22,000-member Full Gospel AME Zion Church, he welcomed Mfume, Duncan and other political leaders.

"There are enough votes in this room to turn any election," Cherry said. "But we are not about threats, we are about righteousness. I am not looking for political strength, I am looking to the grace of God."