A pastor's decision to abstain from voting on a San Diego County policy due to deeply held Christian values led to his reappointment to a volunteer board being vetoed by the mayor. Now, his First Amendment rights case, questioning...



Pastor Dennis Hodges found his faith under fire when he simply chose to abstain from voting on a San Diego County government policy that would fly in the face of his deeply held Christian values. The initiative that's causing the issue today is from several years ago, and he was serving in a completely different area of the San Diego government in a volunteer capacity. However, within that choice to abstain, certain ones on the board decided they didn't like his choice. So even though it was not standard protocol, he was nudged to explain during the commission meeting why he chose to abstain. Hodges said he loves all people, but that according to God's Word, transgenderism "is an abomination in the eyes of God." His Biblically held belief was apparently noted and filed away for future ammunition to push him out of other government positions.

San Diego Mayor Vetoes Hodges’ Reappointment Because of His Christian Values
After that incident, Hodges transitioned to the County Police Advisory Board, which is another volunteer position. It seemed that Hodges was an excellent fit for the position because of his previous law enforcement experience and his African-American heritage. He also has a BS degree in Criminal Justice, according to his church website. However, when the time for his reappointment presented itself, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria vetoed Hodges’ reappointment. His alleged reason was because of Hodges’ Christian, Biblical convictions, according to The Christian Newswire.

Advocates for Faith and Freedom alleges that Hodges’ First Amendment Rights have been violated by the mayor, and the organization has agreed to take up his case. After the case was presented in the district court, it was dismissed, and then the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled to uphold that decision in February of 2026. So Advocates for Faith and Freedom is taking the case to the Supreme Court. Their argument questions whether or not government officials can refuse to allow Americans into areas of public service due to their deeply held religious beliefs.

Advocates for Faith & Freedom: ‘Hodges Punished for Christian Beliefs’
“Pastor Hodges was punished for expressing Christian beliefs that had nothing to do with his ability to serve,” Joel Oster, Vice President and Chief of Trial Litigation for Advocates for Faith & Freedom, told The Christian Newswire. “If this ruling stands, government officials could effectively silence religious viewpoints by declaring them politically unacceptable. The First Amendment does not exist only for those whose beliefs align with the government.”

“This case is about far more than one pastor or one city,” Robert Tyler, President and Chief Counsel of Advocates for Faith & Freedom, told the Christian Newswire. “It is about whether the government can demand ideological conformity as the price of public service.”

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