Democratic House candidate Sarah Trone Garriott finds herself in a challenging spot as her campaign faces backlash over a resurfaced video. In the footage, she describes officiating a wedding for satanists while she was a minister-in-training. This event took place in 2006 at a West Virginia parish, and now, in an election year, it raises urgent questions about her beliefs and suitability for office.
Trone Garriott’s comments come from a storytelling event in Des Moines, where she reminisced about the wedding. She framed the event as a “spiritual lesson” about love. Reflecting on her role, she noted, “He asked me to pick the scriptures. Irritated, I flipped through the Bible.” She mentioned her initial reluctance and her final choice of 1 Corinthians 13, a passage commonly featured in Christian weddings. “If you have ever been to a Christian wedding, you’ve probably heard this scripture,” she pointed out.
Her remarks delved deeper into the experience, revealing her complex feelings about officiating the wedding. “These people could barely stand us,” she shared, highlighting the couple’s lack of respect for the Christian beliefs represented in the ceremony. Despite this, the senior pastor went ahead and married the pair, with Trone Garriott reading the classic marriage vows. Ultimately, she recounted her surprise at the emotional display from the groom, who bore a pentagram tattoo on his face, questioning, “Was he getting teary?”
This situation has led to significant scrutiny, particularly from her opponent, Rep. Zach Nunn. He emphasized that Trone Garriott’s values seem to conflict with those upheld by many Iowa families. “She’s made it clear that the values Iowa families live by every single day are the ones she’s running against,” Nunn stated pointedly. The criticism toward her actions is not merely about the wedding itself but reflects her ability to represent traditional views within a contentious battleground district.
Trone Garriott’s campaign responded to these concerns, asserting, “As a minister in training, Sarah followed the direction of her supervising pastor.” They clarified that she had no control over who entered the church, emphasizing her commitment to ministering to all individuals, regardless of their beliefs. Her spokesperson declared that “Sarah’s faith calls her to love thy neighbor, and she follows Jesus’ example of embodying his grace for everyone.”
However, discrepancies have emerged regarding her ordination status. A source close to the campaign argued that Trone Garriott was not ordained until 2008, putting her active involvement in the wedding into question. Yet, her own statements during the storytelling event convey an acknowledgment of her participation: “This was going to be my first wedding,” she remarked.
The controversy over her officiating duties ties into broader criticisms of her faith and political stance. Earlier in 2023, she had expressed discomfort with overt displays of Christianity and supported the inclusion of non-Christian prayers in public settings, leading to tensions with conservative constituents. In a notable op-ed penned in 2025, she defended Christian engagement with pagan practices, saying, “Jesus engaged with pagans.”
Her past actions and current speeches appear to have formed a narrative of inconsistency, leading to assertions from political opponents that she is not in tune with her own declared values. The National Republican Congressional Committee sharply criticized her, underscoring that “her record shows a clear pattern of rhetoric and decisions that contradict her own faith.” This calls into question her judgment and ability to effectively represent the beliefs of her district.
As the election approaches, Trone Garriott’s campaign must navigate these choppy waters. The resurfaced video serves as a reminder of how past actions can resurface in the political arena, reshaping perceptions and influencing the outcomes of races in highly contested areas. It is clear that her approach to faith, love, and governance will remain in the spotlight as she seeks to unseat an incumbent in a closely watched congressional race.
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