Buttigieg says religion shouldn't be a 'cudgel,' then suggests God wouldn't be a Republican

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2020 presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg questions the greatness of America

Fox & Trends with Carley Shimkus.

South Bend mayor and 2020 Democratic candidate Pete Buttigieg  said Tuesday he believed that religion shouldn't be used as a political "cudgel," but then immediately suggested that God wouldn't be a Republican.

Buttigieg has often discussed his faith on the campaign trail, which NBC's Craig Melvin mentioned during an interview that aired on "The Today Show" Tuesday.

"You also spend a fair amount of time talking about your faith... why?” Melvin asked.

"It’s important to me," Buttigieg responded. "I think it’s also important that we stop seeing religion used as a kind of cudgel, as if God belonged to a political party. If he did, I can’t imagine it would be the one that sent the current president into the White House.”

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Buttigieg, who is openly gay, has repeatedly attacked Vice President Mike Pence over his religious views pertaining to LGBT issues and questioned the faith of Pence and President Donald Trump.

"How would (Pence) allow himself to become the cheerleader for the porn star presidency? Is it that he stopped believing in scripture when he started believing Donald Trump?" Buttigieg asked during a televised town hall.