While Graham’s faith isn’t part of his stump speech, he said it is a vital part of his life.
He said he would have never been able to deal with the deaths of his mother and father within 18 months of each other when he was in college without believing in God, and he tries to lead the country with a kind heart consistent with his Christian faith. But while he is a member of a Baptist church in Seneca, he also said politics and religion don’t mix well.
“The one thing I personally don’t like is when a politician gets too preachy,” Graham recently said outside a Columbia forum sponsored by Palmetto Family, a group whose goal is to influence issues through biblical principles.