New Mexico megachurch endorses Republican candidates, testing federal ban

Key Points:

• Legacy church, a nondenominational megachurch in New Mexico, has publicly endorsed two Republican candidates in the 2024 midterm elections, including Greg Cunningham, a Trump-backed candidate in a competitive district, violating federal law that prohibits tax-exempt non-profits from endorsing political candidates.
• Pastor Steve Smothermon has a history of political endorsements and controversies, including previous endorsements of Republican candidates and involvement in contentious local politics, drawing criticism and an IRS complaint from the Freedom from Religion Foundation.
• The church and Smothermon have been linked to several scandals, including violent crimes involving family members and allegations of sexual abuse at a church-operated drug treatment facility, which they deny.
• Legacy church actively opposes same-sex marriage, school bathroom policies, and COVID-19 precautions, and has hosted conservative figures like Charlie Kirk, who inspired endorsed candidate Greg Cunningham.
• The Trump administration has sought to weaken the Johnson Amendment, which bars churches from political endorsements, with the IRS attempting to allow such endorsements in 2025, but courts have blocked the changes, and legal challenges continue.