Leon Benjamin, a MAGA pastor and Republican congressional candidate, spoke at the ReAwaken America tour event in Post Falls, Idaho, last weekend, where he blew a shofar in order to “confuse the electoral process” and, he says, to bind the demons, witches, and warlocks who are trying to steal his election to keep him out of the U.S. House.
Benjamin, who bills himself as an “apostle,” serves as pastor at New Life Harvest Church in Richmond, Virginia. He is also the GOP nominee for Virginia’s 4th Congressional District, where he is challenging Democratic incumbent Rep. Donald McEachin.
“I’m gonna blow this shofar because I want every demon in Idaho, in Washington, in America, and around this globe to know that God is about to visit this Earth through his body; it’s called the body of Christ,” Benjamin shouted. “We’re about to stretch out an anointing that will cover sea to shining sea. There’s about to be an anointing, there’s about to be a breakthrough, there’s going to be a binding of demons, a binding of witches and warlocks. You’re about to see the power of God released through the trumpet.”
After blowing the shofar, Benjamin proclaimed that “the saints are about to take over this nation again.”
“God’s about to send people like me and you back into the Congress, back into the Senate, and back into the White House,” Benjamin bellowed. “There will be a Christian leader in 2024!”
“What’s going to happen?” Benjamin asked rhetorically. “Your shout is going to shift America into winning elections that they thought they could steal. They’re trying to steal [it] again, but the trumpet is going to confuse the electoral process, it’s going to confuse the thieves, it’s going to confuse the Dominion machines; they’re gonna break up, fire is going to hit them, and people who they thought were gonna lose are going to win!”
Led by conspiracy theorist Clay Clark, the ReAwaken America tour began first in April 2021. Ever since, Clark and his gaggle of falsehood-spreading far-right propagandists have gathered with thousands of activists in churches from Florida to Washington state, spreading wild conspiracy theories at every stop. Political candidates like Benjamin have also found their way to the ReAwaken stage, using the platform to appeal to the conspiracy-minded MAGA base.