So What if He's a Democrat?

Here is a story about a pastor who is being harshly attacked: Rural Texas pastor bucks the norm, running for legislature as Democrat. The article explains:

Pastor and politician Kerry Horn has been called an agent of Satan. He has faced country farmers trembling with rage. And his faith has been questioned by members of his own congregation. And that’s just the reaction of his “Christian” constituents.

... After Horn’s announcement that he’d run on a Democratic ticket, he said, several locals at a community meeting got worried -- and mad. One burly fellow couldn't see any reason why a self-respecting Baptist pastor would ever associate with Democrats, let alone join the party. “I thought he was going to hit me,” Horn said.

There seems to be too two problems with this situation. First, some Christians seem to wrongly place political affiliations above spiritual beliefs. The man has and is faithfully serving as a pastor and yet he is accused of working for Satan because he is a Democrat?! I thought we were saved by grace through faith alone, not by party affiliation.

The second problem here is even if we disagree with each other there is no need for this level of name-calling and animosity. As Christians we need to discuss issues without calling each other agents of Satan. Such inflammatory rhetoric demeans our brothers and sisters in Christ and ultimately demeans God.