In 2022, MAGA pastor Leon Benjamin was the Republican nominee in the race for Virginia’s 4th Congressional District, where he challenged Democratic incumbent Rep. Donald McEachin. Benjamin made Christian nationalism and Seven Mountains Dominionism central components of his campaign, declaring that “the role of the church is to anoint the politicians" and proclaiming that "God’s about to send people like me" to Congress.
Despite the fact that Benjamin was positive that he had been chosen by God to fill that seat, he was thoroughly routed by McEachin. But only weeks after the election, McEachin suddenly passed away, setting the stage for a special election on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023 to fill the vacant seat in Congress. In response, Benjamin relaunched his campaign and again was chosen as the Republican nominee.
And once again, Benjamin is making Christian nationalism and Seven Mountains Dominionism central components of his campaign.
Seven Mountains Dominionism is a right-wing theology that teaches that far-right Christians are to “do whatever is necessary” to take control of the seven main “mountains” that shape our culture—education, government, media, business, arts and entertainment, family, and religion—in order to bring every aspect of law and society into alignment with their right-wing "biblical worldview."
On Saturday, Benjamin appeared on "The Lance Wallnau Show," where he was interviewed by fellow Christian nationalist and Seven Mountain Dominionist Lance Wallnau.
During his appearance on Wallnau's program, Benjamin asserted that he has been called by God to do his part to ensure that right-wing Christians take control of "the mountain of government."
"Lance, we've had these private conversations about the seven mountains," Benjamin said. "I was diving in to where do we fit in the mountains—and my wife could probably testify about this, 'Why is he talking about the seven mountains back in 2013, 2014, 2015? Why is he talking about the mountain of government, the mountain of education, the mountain of family, the mountain of media, sports and entertainment, the mountain of religion? What is he talking about?'"
"And then, boom," Benjamin continued. "In 2019, I'm in a statesman course in Washington, D.C., for three months, learning about the Constitution, and even though I'm a pastor—God, I don't know if he sucked me in, tricked me, or pulled me in—I started to understand and ascertain that my calling is not just in the pulpit, per se, in the four walls of the church, but in the marketplace, and in specifically the area of government. I understood it on the spiritual end, the mountain of government."
Benjamin faces Democratic Virginia state Sen. Jennifer L. McClellan in Tuesday's election.
We need your help. Every day, Right Wing Watch exposes extremism to help the public, activists, and journalists understand the strategies and tactics of anti-democratic forces—and respond to an increasingly aggressive and authoritarian far-right movement. The threat is growing, but our resources are not. Any size contribution—or a small monthly donation—will help us continue our work and become more effective at disrupting the ideologies, people, and organizations that threaten our freedom and democracy. Please make an investment in Right Wing Watch’s defense of the values we share.
