More than 90% of Protestant pastors do not plan to endorse candidates in the midterm elections, even though doing so would not expose their churches to legal consequences.

This was reported by The Christian Post.

A survey conducted by Lifeway Research among more than 1,000 Protestant pastors in the United States found that 93% of respondents do not intend to endorse any political candidates during worship services.

By comparison, 5% of the pastors surveyed said they plan to endorse candidates during worship services, while the remaining respondents were unsure whether they would do so.

The survey was conducted approximately two months after the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced that it would not enforce the restrictions of the Johnson Amendment against houses of worship for statements about electoral politics made during religious services. The 1954 amendment prohibits certain nonprofit organizations, including churches, from engaging in political activities such as endorsing candidates.

According to Lifeway Research Executive Director Scott McConnell, the Trump administration’s position on enforcing the Johnson Amendment appears to have little influence on pastors. “What pastors say from the pulpit has much more to do with their religious convictions than with a desire to avoid tax penalties,” he emphasized.

As LF previously reported, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is spearheading the establishment of an Office of Religious Affairs.

Earlier, we reported that World Relief is urging the Trump administration to increase the quota for admitting Christian refugees to the United States.