Pope Leo XIV made history by becoming the first Pope to participate in an American election. Following the 2026 midterms, he spoke about the importance of voting in St. Peter’s Square to hundreds of attendees.
The Vatican confirmed that Leo, originally from Chicago, cast a mail-in ballot in Illinois before the November 3 midterms. Born Robert Francis Prevost, he exercised his voting right as a U.S. citizen.
In his remarks, Leo emphasized, “The exercise of political authority must always be directed towards the common good. This good must adapt to local and historical contexts yet always consider the entire human family.” He delivered these words in Italian to the gathered crowd.
The speech coincided with significant political shifts in the United States. A notable wave of flipped seats marked the elections, with Democrats gaining at least seven Senate seats previously held by Republicans. This included a win in Texas, where a Democrat last won a Senate seat in 1988, and in Kansas, a state that had not seen a Democratic senator since 1932.
This election saw over twenty House seats change hands. Among these was a district in Kentucky, which former President Donald Trump had won by approximately 15 points.
Such a sweep, where one party captures control of both legislative chambers during a midterm, has occurred only four times since World War II.
Leo remarked that, “Politics that tends to the wounds of peoples and of those who suffer injustice offers grounds for hope for the future of humanity.” His words highlighted the potential of politics to heal and offer hope.
Stay tuned for more updates as this story develops.
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