The victory party took on the feel of an evangelical worship service after Doug Mastriano won the Republican gubernatorial primary. Some people in the crowd raised their arms in praise as the singer led the crowd in a song.
He claimed that if his opponent was elected, freedom would be snatched away.
The most prominent example of this election cycle's surge of Christian nationalism is that of Mastriano, a state senator and retired Army colonel, who has made faith central to his personal story and woven conservative Christian beliefs and symbols into the campaign.
Mastriano, who has ignored repeated requests for comment from The Associated Press, has rejected the Christian nationalist label in the past. Few if any prominent candidates use the label. Some say it is a way of saying everyone has a right to draw on their faith and values to try to influence public policy.
Christian nationalism is defined by scholars as a fusion of American and Christian values, symbols and identity.
They say that Christian nationalism is often accompanied by a belief that America will be given a special role in history and that God will bless or curse it depending on its actions.
The conservative Christian political agenda includes opposition to abortion, same-sex marriage and trans rights. Christian nationalism is associated with distrust of immigrants and Muslims. Donald Trump is seen by many Christian nationalists as a champion despite his crude sexual boasts and lack of public piety.
Christian nationalists have had mixed success this year in the Republican primaries, which usually pits conservatives against each other even further to the right.
There were losses by some high-profile candidates. The former spoke of a spiritual battle on Capitol Hill and a need for strong, God-fearing patriots.
Some of Idaho's Republican primaries for the Legislature were won by candidates who shared priorities with Christian nationalists. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who uses biblical phrases to warn against those who want to destroy our faith, easily won her primary.
The highest-profile victory for the movement was Mastriano's win, with 44% in a crowded field despite opposition from the state party establishment.
The separation of church and state has been called a myth.
The comments section of his campaign Facebook page felt like a revival tent after his victory.
Praise Jesus! God is smiling at us and giving us blessings.
Andrew Whitehead, sociology professor at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis and co-author, said that Mastriano is a unique case where his supporters and causes are on God's side.
He said that it was good and evil.
The authors of the book measured the rates of Christian nationalism by looking at a survey from the year before. It gauged opinions on things such as America's role in God's plan and whether the U.S. should be declared a Christian nation.
About one in five Americans are in agreement with many of those views. Just as Americans have become less religious, so has that. Christian nationalists can be expected to maintain their fervor.
Christian nationalism is emerging alongside and in some cases overlaps with other right-wing movements such as white supremacy and denialism. There were Christian prayers and symbols around the U.S. Capitol during the January 6, 2021, insurrection.
The rally preceding the attack was attended by Mastriano, who wanted to overturn Pennsylvania's vote for Joe Biden in 2020. The Senate Judiciary Committee report states that video showed he passed through police lines and barricaded streets after he left.
The Public Religion Research Institute's CEO Robert Jones said the displays were not surprising.
White evangelical Christians were among the strongest supporters of the assertion that God intended America as a promised land for European Christians. Those who supported the idea were more likely to agree that true American patriots may have to resort to violence to save our country.
Jones said that white Christian nationalism is the real threat.
Conservative Christian themes are playing a role in local elections in blue states, although many proponents say they view it not as nationalism but as supporting their religious freedom and values.
The pastor of 412 Church in Murrieta, California, who hosts a YouTube channel with more than 9,600 subscribers and envisions a conservative future for the state, recently started a political action committee to take back our school boards and give parents authority.
Thompson said that they don't want teachers talking to their kids about sex. These are not political issues. They are moral and biblical issues.
He said Judeo-Christian values are the foundation of America.
People are afraid to speak up for their values because they are afraid the left will label them as racist or Christian nationalist.
Chino Hills, California's pastor Jack Hibbs has tried to influence local elections. While he does not allow candidates to campaign at the church, he frequently offers endorsements as a way of signaling to his flock who they are.
He said that when he hears the term Christian nationalism, his hair goes up. He was embarrassed to see Christian imagery during the riot.
According to Elizabeth Neumann, chief strategy officer for Moonshot, a tech company that aims to counter online violent Extremism, Christian nationalism began picking up steam around 2015.
Neumann, who served in the George W. Bush and Trump administrations and grew up in an evangelical Christian household, called the movement "heretical and idolatry."
She said that Christian nationalism is the dying breath of the older generation in America that is afraid that Christians are going to be replaced.
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The reporter was from Los Angeles.
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