From candidate drop out to surrogate: Matt Schultz invokes the cloth in endorsement of Tom Begich

By SUZANNE DOWNING

July 29, 2026 – Matt Schultz abandoned his campaign for Congress before Alaska voters had their say. Now the Anchorage Presbyterian pastor has reappeared as a political surrogate for Democrat Tom Begich’s campaign for governor, dressed unmistakably as a minister and filming his endorsement with his church prominently displayed behind him.

In the video distributed by the Tom Begich for Governor campaign, Schultz wears a black clerical shirt and jacket, along with a rainbow pin reflecting his support for LGBTQ causes. The word “Presbyterian” is plainly visible on his church building in the background.

The staging leaves little doubt that Schultz’s position as a minister is part of the presentation.

That may not sit well with every member of First Presbyterian Church in Anchorage. Congregants who contribute to a church generally expect their donations and church property to advance its religious mission, not to provide scenery and ministerial credibility for a Democratic gubernatorial campaign.

It also raises a legitimate question about whether Schultz and the Tom Begich campaign used the church’s name, property or resources for partisan political activity.

Matt ran an inspiring campaign that reached thousands of Alaskans and gave people hope for a better future. While he may have stepped away from the campaign trail, his commitment to improving the lives of Alaskans has never wavered. I'm grateful to have Matt's endorsement and… pic.twitter.com/RCoDpDAuOi

— Tom Begich for Alaska (@TomBegich4AK) July 28, 2026

Schultz suspended his Democratic campaign for Alaska’s lone U.S. House seat on July 17, more than a month before the Aug. 18 primary. His name remains on the ballot, and he initially encouraged supporters to vote for him in the primary even though he said he would not continue into the general election.

The pastor had spent months describing the congressional race in nearly apocalyptic terms. He accused Republicans of dragging the country toward “fascism” and said defeating Republican Congressman Nick Begich was necessary to protect democracy.

But despite raising hundreds of thousands of dollars and speaking passionately about his cause, Schultz stepped aside before voters could render a verdict. He endorsed undeclared candidate Bill Hill, whose campaign is managed by the Democrat-aligned Ship Creek Group.

Now Schultz is using his political profile and his ministerial identity  to promote Tom Begich, the Democratic candidate for governor and uncle of the congressman Schultz had promised to defeat before he quit.

Federal tax law prohibits organizations operating under Section 501(c)(3), including churches, from directly or indirectly participating in a political campaign on behalf of or in opposition to a candidate. The IRS says public statements made on behalf of a tax-exempt organization supporting a candidate clearly violate that prohibition. IRS guidance here.

Using his church as the backdrop with the name clearly showing raises questions about whether he crossed the legal line.

Clergy members retain the right to endorse candidates in their personal capacities. But IRS guidance draws a distinction between a minister speaking as a private citizen and political activity that uses the organization’s property, resources, publications or official identity. Whether a particular appearance crosses that line depends on all the facts and circumstances.

The optics are unmistakable, however. Schultz did not appear in ordinary street clothes against a neutral background. He appeared dressed as a pastor, in front of the church where he serves, with its name and denominational identity prominently visible.

The result looks less like a private citizen expressing a political opinion and more like a campaign borrowing the visual authority of a church.

Schultz is entitled to participate in politics. His congregation is equally entitled to ask whether its church, its name and its religious mission are being pulled into a partisan campaign without its consent.