A lot has happened in my life as a Catholic mother over the past four years, the main event being that four of my five kids are now teenagers, which has me in crisis mode most of the time. As I struggle to keep my children from falling off the boat, I have managed to avoid navigating the turbulent waters of the political scene. But alas, time flies by, and here we are on the cusp of a presidential election.
When I pulled my head out of stalking my kids’ secret social media accounts, I could not suppress my shock and alarm about how little has changed in the world despite their evolving into highly intelligent life forms capable of outsmarting me. I wish my nature was as gentle as it used to be, but I’ve become hardened by the scrapes and bruises of traversing a teenage wasteland. In the past, I might have written this essay asking fellow faithful Catholics to examine their consciences and figure out how we can best align our voting choices with our values, but instead, I will say only this: As a Catholic, I simply cannot in good conscience vote for Donald Trump.
Don’t give me, “But he’s pro-life!” Sure, he has sold himself as a champion for the unborn, but his so-called anti-abortion position falls apart after about five seconds of scrutiny. Mr. Trump has been all over the map with abortion. He’s had more positions on it than Starbucks has seasonal drinks. First, he was “very pro-choice,” then suddenly “pro-life with exceptions,” then he’s saying Florida’s six-week abortion ban is “too short”—it’s dizzying, honestly.
Many pro-life Catholics choose to ignore that his behavior is erratic and atrocious in every other way because of his Supreme Court picks. But here’s the rub: According to the Guttmacher Institute, the annual number of abortions actually went up by 11 percent from 2020 to 2023, the first full year after Roe v. Wade was overturned. So rather than protecting the unborn, I would argue that this Supreme Court has done more to protect Mr. Trump. For instance, they have allowed more wiggle room in his immunity from prosecution—a nice perk when multiple cases are breathing down your neck.
Besides, a true pro-life stance is about more than just opposing abortion; it encompasses a commitment to the dignity and well-being of every person from womb to tomb, especially the most vulnerable among us. While some still believe Mr. Trump is a protector of the unborn, it’s hard to ignore how his actions breed hostility toward countless families. His policies that separated children from their parents at the border and his hate speech that continuously vilifies those seeking refuge are in direct contradiction with core Catholic teachings.
We are called to welcome the stranger, yet Mr. Trump’s leadership has gone in the opposite direction, fostering an environment that often dehumanizes those in need. And let’s not dance around it. Supporting someone with such a distorted view of humanity is very concerning. Recently, at one of Mr. Trump’s rallies, a comedian likened Puerto Rico to an “island of garbage.” This isn’t just offensive and racist; it reflects a deeper contempt for community and compassion. Instead of uniting us, it feeds division and breeds rhetoric that distracts us from what really matters.
An appeal to the moms out there: If you think parenting temper-tantrum toddlers or rebellious teenagers is nearly impossible, try letting them run your government! What would that look like? It’s a chilling thought but one that we can’t afford to ignore.
What about Kamala Harris? She does support legal abortion, and has campaigned strongly on expanding access to abortion, opposing any restrictions, obviously a morally problematic position for those of us who believe every baby is a unique human being with a right to life, but her economic policies are likely to help people feel more secure in dealing with an unplanned pregnancy. Her proposed tax credits for families and commitment to affordable child care speak directly to many parents’ challenges. This approach prioritizes the well-being of families and children. Focusing on a person’s dignity and well-being through access to health care and education helps families thrive and has a trickle-down effect on the unborn. I call it “supply-side pro-life!” I can just imagine the eye-rolling that’s happening by the readers who believe Democrats are cold-hearted “baby killers,” but I challenge you to consider that you can’t truly be part of the pro-life movement if all you ever focus on is anti-abortion activism.
In many ways, Ms. Harris’s values align with those of conservatives: She believes in the rule of law, and she was a prosecutor and attorney general before becoming a U.S. senator and now the vice president. She believes in democracy, which means even if you disagree strongly with her position on abortion, she has not pledged to shortcut our democratic process to silence you. I am afraid I can’t say the same about her opponent.
Of course, while I believe it would be the ultimate triumph for equality to finally have a woman of color as president of the United States, I do have my criticisms of Ms. Harris. I cannot express how disappointed I was to see her skip this year’s Alfred E. Smith Dinner, a long-held bipartisan tradition in New York that gives candidates a chance to eat and laugh together before things get really ugly. Not to mention the huge amount of money it raises for Catholic Charities of New York, an organization that “seeks to uphold the dignity of each person as made in the image of God by serving the basic needs of the poor, troubled, frail and oppressed of all religions.” (My husband, Jim Gaffigan, was the night’s M.C., and also took a jab at her absence that suddenly made it appear as if he were hosting a Trump rally.)
It could be that Ms. Harris and her people were so deep in the California bubble that they didn’t see the need to add one more stop to her brutal campaign tour through the purple states, and by the time she found out what a major faux pas it was, it was too late. Her greatest champions disagreed with my theory, citing her absence as a purposeful act of rebellion stemming from when Mr. Trump, in 2016, ignored the traditional spirit of the event, went way off script, and did what Mr. Trump does best: turn a fun roast into a vicious attack against Hillary Clinton.
But we all saw the debate. She’s certainly not afraid of the big bad wolf. It would have been even more meaningful for Ms. Harris to show up despite Mr. Trump’s apparent inability to break bread, especially for an audience that takes the event seriously as a time to put politics aside (I know, laughable, but still). Attending the dinner would have been a good way for her to show that she takes Catholic moral concerns seriously even though she doesn’t agree with all of them, extending to Catholic voters the same kind of olive branch that she’s asking them to extend to her.
When I heard she was sending a video message, I was skeptical yet hopeful. As someone who’s not on the Trump bandwagon and who was honestly looking forward to the Al Smith Dinner, I thought maybe Ms. Harris would give us something real. But no, instead we got a phoned-in, pre-recorded video with Molly Shannon in character as Catholic schoolgirl Mary Katherine Gallagher—a “Saturday Night Live” bit that, need I remind you, is over 20 years old. I love Molly, really I do, but it was like Ms. Harris’s team threw a dart at the wall of random ’90s references and just hoped it would feel “relatable” to us Catholics. Spoiler: It did not. The Al Smith Dinner is kind of a big deal for Catholic voters, and she missed a prime moment to show she “gets” us beyond stereotypes.
As Election Day approaches, I call on my Catholic brothers and sisters to take a second look at what drives us to support Donald Trump. Do we genuinely believe that he leads in a way consistent with our most cherished principles? Or are we backing him out of fear? I have a hard time seeing how you can support a guy who is so evidently a bull in the china shop of democracy and who shows so little regard for so many lives—especially the most vulnerable, who we are called to see as God’s image and likeness. I just can’t see how following that path would lead to any good for democracy, for equality, for the church or for the lives we see as especially precious.
Let’s call for leaders who embody the principles of our faith. This faith calls us to care for the marginalized and to uphold the dignity of every person. It calls us to work for a future that is rooted in love and justice. It calls us to insist on leadership that aligns with the values we hold sacred. While we are going to continue to advocate for the dignity of the unborn, let’s admit Ms. Harris has Catholic cred on other important issues. Advocating for policies that support working families, a big deal in Catholic social teaching? Check. Affordable health care? Check. Family leave? Yes, please. Her focus on environmental issues aligns nicely with Pope Francis’ call to care for our common home in “Laudato Si’.” And on immigration, even though her primary campaign message on this has been cracking down on asylum claims, she’s been firm about providing humane policies and a pathway to citizenship, which the Catholic Church has long supported.
Just, next time, maybe put the ’90s sketch comedy down and pick up a real connection with the Catholic crowd. I’m voting for you anyway, but I have notes.
Editor’s note: How have you discerned who to vote for in the coming presidential election? Post your thoughts in the comments section below; select responses may be published online.
