Robert Jeffress, a Baptist pastor among the most prominent evangelical supporters of President Trump, conceded Wednesday he is likely set to be succeeded by Democratic rival Joseph R. Biden soon.
Mr. Jeffress wrote in op-ed that Mr. Biden defeating Mr. Trump may be a “bitter pill to swallow” for Christian conservatives but encouraged them to support the presumptive president-elect regardless.
“Here is our chance to show that Christians are not hypocrites. We serve a God who remains on His throne, sovereignly reigning over every square inch of this vast universe. We serve a God who loves us and will never leave or forsake us. And now we have the chance to show the consistency and constancy of our Christian witness to this world,” Mr. Jeffress wrote for Fox News.
“When Joe Biden becomes president, we should commend him for the things he does right. We should condemn the things he does wrong. And above all, we must pray fervently for our president,” he added.
Voting in the White House race ended Nov. 3, and several news outlets projected Mr. Biden to be the winner four days later. Mr. Trump has still not conceded, however.
Mr. Jeffress, the senior pastor at First Baptist Dallas in Texas, told local media later Wednesday that preliminary election results suggest Mr. Trump lost the presidential race.
“I am not in any way calling this election,” Mr. Jeffress said by phone, The Dallas Morning News reported, adding still that Mr. Trump losing the race to Mr. Biden’s victory is “the most likely outcome.”
“I understand — looking at it, it appears that he won,” he added, according to the newspaper. “I’ve said publicly — I’ve said on Fox News – that I think the only way for us to have unity in our country is not only to respect the right of people to vote in an election, but the right to contest an election and President Trump has every right to contest this election.”
Mr. Trump’s campaign has filed lawsuits in several states over the race’s outcome citing unfounded allegations of election fraud. Inauguration Day is in roughly two months on Jan. 20, 2021.
• Andrew Blake can be reached at ablake@washingtontimes.com.
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