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Episcopal Bishop Mariann Budde Urges Vote in New Ad
Developing
In Short: In a new election ad, Episcopal Bishop Mariann Budde, who recently announced her intention to resign, urges viewers to vote and shows footage from her controversial sermon delivered to President Trump in January 2025.
The ad, set to run in four media markets—Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Eau Claire, Wisconsin; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and Raleigh, North Carolina—features Budde addressing Trump directly, asking him to 'have mercy' on those fearing separation from their parents.
Budde’s sermon in January 2025, delivered the day after Trump’s inauguration, sparked a sharp rebuke from Trump and his allies, with the president referring to her as a 'so-called bishop' on social media.
In the ad, Budde reflects on the past two years, saying, 'We have all borne witness to the events of the last two years.' She then calls for mercy, courage, and respect for human dignity, urging viewers to vote.
The ad highlights a shift in voting patterns among white non-evangelical Protestants, a group that includes Budde and her denomination, the Episcopal Church.
What this adds
The ad draws from a section of Budde's sermon where she addressed Trump directly, asking him to 'have mercy' on those 'whose children fear that their parents will be taken away.'
Background
Rev. Mariann Budde, who gained national attention for her activism and high-profile sermons, announced on Thursday that she plans to resign as the head of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington.
What's still developing
- The ad then switches to Budde, who recently announced her intention to resign as the Episcopal Bishop of Washington, speaking directly to the camera.
- 5) and slated to run in at least four states ahead of the midterm elections, opens with a clip of Budde standing in the pulpit of the Washington National Cathedral in January 2025, as she delivered the much-discussed sermon to the president the day after his inauguration.
- It draws from a section of the sermon where Budde addressed Trump directly, asking the president to “have mercy” on those “whose children fear that their parents will be taken away,” alongside footage of masked U.S.