Portland School Board Candidate Tied to Christian Nationalists Withdraws

Derrick Peterson — a top candidate for the Portland school board whose ties to prominent Christian nationalists Rolling Stone uncovered this week, is withdrawing his candidacy.

In a statement to supporters Wednesday afternoon, Peterson wrote, “Over the past week my affiliations with various churches have been presented in the media. This has taken a toll on my family and takes away from the critical work that needs to be done at [Portland Public School] PPS. I respect our youth too much to allow this distraction to continue. As such, I am withdrawing from the race.”

Peterson is a career law enforcement officer who had garnered the endorsements of much of Portland’s liberal establishment, including The Oregonian, the Willamette Week, a city commissioner, and the local district attorney, among others.

Peterson had other far more controversial credentials. He is a commissioned “apostle” at a church run by Ché Ahn, a top Christian nationalist, who backed Donald Trump in Washington D.C. on Jan. 6. Though he now disputes that he knew of the designation, Peterson was also elevated to the board of an anti-abortion nonprofit run by that church called 1Race4Life.

Ahn denounces any separation of church and state and has long promoted Christians seizing command of the realms of government and culture to do “radical things for the Lord.” Ahn spoke at a “Stop the Steal” rally on Jan. 5, 2021, insisting that God had a plan to reinstate Trump and that his victory would be a victory for conservative Christians: “We’re gonna rule and reign through President Trump and under the lordship of Jesus Christ.”

While Peterson attempted to downplay his connections to religious leaders, Rolling Stone revealed that he’d also traded on his commission as an “apostle” to speak at an Ahn-affiliated church that equates gay marriage to sins like incest and pedophilia.

Experts in Christian nationalism told Rolling Stone that Peterson’s explanations were “hard to square.” Others saw his candidacy as a stealth campaign to install an extremist on the school board of a deep-blue city. Peterson avowed he had “no hidden agendas.”

Across the country, conservative activists have targeted school boards as a means to fight changing cultural norms, in particular on race and gender. Ironically, Peterson’s competition in the race, former teacher Patte Sullivan, said she entered the race to head off any extremist candidates.

Ballots have already been sent out for the election, which in Oregon is conducted via mail.

Peterson has committed not to serve, whatever the result. “In the event that I win the election, I will resign and allow the PPS’ process to fill the vacant seat.”

Peterson closed his statement adding: “My intent was only to serve my community and our youth. I believe this is the best way to do so.”