An Openly Atheist Candidate is Running for Congress in Arizona

Woods is a legally blind, very progressive, openly atheist candidate and, unlike some other Arizona politicians we won’t name, he’s not afraid of admitting it:

Woods, who is running for the US Congress in Arizona’s Congressional District 5, is an atheist himself and believes a healthy democracy needs to include all voices.

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“There are a lot of misconceptions about people who don’t believe in God,” said Woods. “Because of the negative stigma, lawmakers aren’t seeking out atheist constituents and asking how we want to be represented. They’re afraid of the political fallout. But how can you make sure government is serving all Americans if you don’t allow marginalized groups of people to talk about what they need?”

This isn’t just lip service. Woods, who identifies as a Humanist, is an active member of the Humanist Society of Greater Phoenix and local chapters of the Freedom From Religion Foundation and Americans United for the Separation of Church and State. And in 2011, he was even featured in an “Out of the Closet” billboard campaign:

An Openly Atheist Candidate is Running for Congress in Arizona