Pat Robertson, a prominent evangelical Christian, and former Republican presidential candidate, passed away at the age of 93.
He was a key factor behind an initiative to strengthen the political power of the religious right in the US.
He helped build the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) into a cable media behemoth after founding it in 1960.
Robertson presided over the 700 Club, a CBN discussion show that featured light entertainment along with religious news and political commentary, for many years.
His passing was reported by CBN on Thursday. The reason wasn’t stated.
Robertson was also the creator of the Christian Coalition, a group that emerged in the 1980s as a major force in Republican politics.
It supported candidates with endorsements, money, and resources if they shared their opinions on contentious social issues like abortion, religious freedom, and “traditional” values.
The tweet below confirms the news:
BREAKING: Pat Robertson, devoted evangelist and CBN founder who spread God’s message to millions, dies at 93. https://t.co/VIAVrD19iL pic.twitter.com/p2rvgeZCif
— Fox News (@FoxNews) June 8, 2023
Robertson’s Evangelical Run for the White House
Robertson ran the election year 1988 candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination.
With the backing of the state’s sizable evangelical community, he came in second place in the Iowa caucuses behind Kansas Senator Robert Dole.
After eventual nominee and president George H.W. Bush won the New Hampshire primary, Robertson’s bid for the White House was unsuccessful.
Despite losing, Robertson’s candidacy showed that evangelical Christians were becoming a more significant factor in Republican politics because he won four out of the five state nomination races.
The charismatic evangelical leader would later go on to play a crucial role in Republican politics for many years.
Robertson’s brand of politics, which included elements of religion, regularly sparked debate.
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He received harsh criticism for appearing to tie the 11 September 2001 attacks in the US to American cultural liberalism, which includes the homosexual rights movement and abortion.
He asserted that a catastrophic earthquake that struck Haiti in 2010 was caused by its people’s “pact with the devil” during their struggle for independence from France.
Robertson claimed that Americans who opposed Donald Trump were “revolting against what God’s plan is for America” after he was elected president.
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