As part of a last-minute effort to drum up primary votes, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn attended controversial San Antonio Pastor John Hagee’s “End of Days” sermon at Cornerstone Church on Sunday.
Hagee has a history of inflammatory remarks, including his claim that Hitler was doing God’s will by carrying out the Holocaust. Despite his eagerness to preach far-right politics from the pulpit, the megachurch pastor’s fringe proclamations and conspiratorial claims have put off some Republicans, including the late Sen. John McCain, who rejected Hagee’s endorsement during his 2008 presidential run.
Cornyn’s visit to Cornerstone also came as Hagee and his son, Matthew, leaned in hard on a new conspiracy theory. The pair now claim the current Middle East conflict is part of a prophecy that an Israeli war with Iran will bring about the second coming of Christ. Hagee also is the founder of Christians United for Israel, one of the largest U.S.-based groups that lobbies on behalf of the Israeli government.
“[Cornyn] is one of Israel’s greatest friends in the United States government, and it’s imperative that the alliance between this nation and Israel will remain strong forever,” Matthew Hagee said during Sunday’s service.
Cornyn stood during the recognition and waved to the crowd.
In keeping with the “End of Days” theme, the Hagees’ Sunday sermon began with a promotional video about the Iran conflict, suggesting that Biblical prophecy is underway and Christ is poised to return.
“Sirens are wailing and prophecies written thousands of years ago are stepping onto the world stage,” the clip proclaimed.
John Hagee’s comments about Iran are far from his strangest utterances, however. The pastor has referred to the Catholic Church — to which 30% of Texans claim membership — as the “Great Whore,” and he’s argued that the Harry Potter series is a sign of the Antichrist’s speedy arrival.
Nonetheless, Cornyn, who’s locked in what polls suggest is a losing battle against Attorney General Ken Paxton in the Republican primary, proudly posted about Hagee’s endorsement on his X account.
We’ll see what good it did sometime after the polls close at 7 p.m. Tuesday.
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