He already has divine access to the White House. He counts both current and former administration staff as some of his closest friends. He’s pastored for the last 24 years, and now he’s wondering if a role in public office is what God has for him next.
“The thing is, I’m not a politician, I’m a ‘peopletician,'” Darrell Scott tells Charisma News. Scott co-pastors New Spirit Revival Center in Cleveland, Ohio.
“In this climate in America today, this is an advantage, not a disadvantage,” Scott says. “I have a heart for people, have a heart to help people and help this country. I don’t have a reason to seek higher office. This isn’t the career path I’ve envisioned for myself. God’s given me progressive revelation for steps He’s ordered for my life. If this is one of those, so be it.”
Scott was recently approached by Ashtabula County (Ohio) Republican Party members, who asked for him to run against incumbent Rep. Dave Joyce in the 2018 Republican primary for Congress. The incumbent, Scott says, has both publicly and privately bashed President Donald Trump in a district where multiple homes still proudly display their Trump election signs.
Initially, Scott turned them down.
“I said, ‘Thanks but no thanks. I’m flattered, complimented, honored, but no,'” Scott says. “The more we talked, the less unappealing it became. Now it’s a strong consideration.”
But the group persisted, claiming the party meetings where Scott spoke were some of the highest-attended on record. Eventually, they wore him down.
His first step was to pray and seek wise counsel. Among his counselors are a veritable Who’s Who of President Trump’s administration: Michael Cohen, Steve Bannon, Anthony Scaramucci, Omarosa Manigault-Newman and Jared Kushner. All of them loved the idea, and a handful even offered to host prestigious fundraisers if Scott decides to move forward.
These people, Scott says, are more than political allies.
“If I do choose to do it, all of our family from the campaign will support me,” Scott says. “I always said this, the Clinton campaign, she had a well-oiled machine. The president had a motley crew that became family and made history. We all became very, very close. We went through the war together, all took our share of criticism. We’re pretty close-knit.”
As Scott continues to pray into his decision, his megachurch factors heavily into his decision.
If he had to give up pastoring, he says, he would continue to refuse the idea. But, with offices in both the district and in D.C., he wouldn’t have to step away from the pulpit for long.
“I wouldn’t give up my church, no way,” Scott says. “I can still be home for Bible study and Sunday services.”
Though the primary is in May and the election is in November, Scott doesn’t have to make an official announcement until February, though he promises one will come before then.
“I’m not in a rush. I have to count to costs. There are some plans that have to be done before the official announcement,” Scott says. “Pray for me, that God gives me the wisdom to make the right decision.”
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