Josh Hawley mocked over his plan for a 1-hour ‘fast’ and prayer session at the Capitol

Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley has been brutally mocked over his plan for a one-hour fasting and prayer session at the U.S. Capitol after his Republican colleagues were defeated in last week’s midterm elections. “What happened last Tuesday was shocking and historic. It calls for a historic response. Christians need to gather and seek the Lord,” Hawley, who was not up for re-election, wrote on X Monday. “I’m going to host a time of fasting and prayer for the nation on Tuesday, December 15, from 12 to 1 at the Capitol. Meet me there!”In what was dubbed a “blue tsunami,” Democrats won enough seats — and then some — to take control of the House and Representatives and the Senate. Republican leaders, including President Donald Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson, are coping with the loss by shifting the blame either onto others in the party or onto the voters themselves. Hawley, who has openly admitted to advocating for Christian nationalism, has decided to turn to God during this turbulent time for Republicans. But his invitation for others to join him in praying and fasting for one hour was not met kindly, with social media users questioning his Christian values. Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley has been brutally mocked over his plan for a one-hour fasting and prayer session at the U.S. Capitol after his Republican colleagues were defeated in last week’s midterm elections (Getty Images)“This Senator voted to force children and the elderly to fast involuntarily by cutting food assistance,” Representative Gwen Moore, a Wisconsin Democrat, wrote on X. “But, for one hour, he can see how millions of Americans struggle every day in the Republican economy.”Hawley voted in favor of Trump’s “big, beautiful” spending bill signed in July 2025 that cut taxes while also cutting benefits for recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly called SNAP. More than five million Americans lost their SNAP benefits over the past year following restrictions imposed by the bill. Moore ended her post with scripture about feeding the hungry: “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink… whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”One X user sarcastically wrote: “Yes, good idea. I guess you are gathering to celebrate that finally real Christian values have prevailed? You know: love thy neighbor, welcome the stranger, don’t lie, take care of those in need and all that?”“We prayed and the Lord listened. We have a Christian from Texas, a Jew from Georgia and a Muslim from Michigan headed to the US Senate in January. Keep eating,” another said. ‘Christ fasted for 40 days and nights in the desert. Josh Hawley and MAGA will only give our nation an hour,’ one X user wrote (Getty Images)Others teased Hawley for the length of the fast, with Tommy Vietor, a former staffer under Barack Obama, sarcastically writing, “A whole hour?”Christopher Hale, a Catholic who has worked in Democratic politics, wrote: “Christ fasted for 40 days and nights in the desert. Josh Hawley and MAGA will only give our nation an hour.”Tim Miller from the anti-Trump outlet The Bulwark joked, “The tummy is gonna be getting prettttttty grumbly after a fast of one whole hour.”The Independent has reached out to Hawley’s office for comment. Other Republicans, including President Donald Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson, are reacting to the loss by shifting the blame either onto others in the party or onto the voters themselves (Getty Images)With Democrats taking control of Congress in January, Trump has signaled that he is open to working with the other side on some issues, but also made it clear he will veto any legislation he doesn’t like. But House Speaker Mike Johnson says he doesn’t know how Republicans will “continue delivering for the people” with Democrats gaining the majority, telling reporters Monday, “I really do believe that these next two years are going to be a bit of a circus.”While there’s been some talk among Republicans, and even Trump, about the Iran war that caused gas prices to soar, hurting Republicans in the midterms, the party has mainly resorted to finger-pointing. Trump blamed the media for unfavorable coverage and the Republican candidates who ran, saying he would’ve won if he were on the ballot. While speaking to the press Monday, Johnson boldly said it was the voters’ fault for making the “wrong choice.”