---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I would vote for a Muslim if he or she…"
description: "\"I would vote for a Muslim if he or she was the best candidate able to lead the country and defend our political values.\" — John McCain"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acf/john-mccain-465_able_i-would-vote-for-a-muslim-if-he-or-she-w_1989933.png"
---

#  I would vote for a Muslim if he or she was the best…

![“I would vote for a Muslim if he or she was the best candidate able to lead the country and defend our political values.” quote by John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acf/john-mccain-465_able_i-would-vote-for-a-muslim-if-he-or-she-w_1989933.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acf/john-mccain-465_able_i-would-vote-for-a-muslim-if-he-or-she-w_1989933.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acf/john-mccain-465_able_i-would-vote-for-a-muslim-if-he-or-she-w_1989933.png)

> “I would vote for a Muslim if he or she was the best candidate able to lead the country and defend our political values.”

[John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A candidate's religious affiliation shouldn't matter if they are the best leader for the country.

**In simple terms:** Vote based on merit, not religion.

Key Takeaway

Judge leaders by ability, not faith.

Themes

politics religion leadership

Mood

hopeful determined

Type

political ethical

When to use this quote

- elections
- policy debates
- community meetings
- interfaith dialogues

Key Concepts

Secularism meritocracy

Questions to Reflect On

- How can voters focus on policy over faith?
- What safeguards ensure fair evaluation of candidates?

A Different Perspective

Religious bias can still influence voter perception.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Able](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able/) [Best Candidate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-candidate-893495/) [Candidate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/candidate/) [Candidates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/candidates/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Islam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/islam/) [Muslim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/muslim/) [Muslim Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/muslim-best-3444749/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values/) [Vote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vote/) [Vote Muslim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vote-muslim-3444748/)

## Related quotes

> [Vote for the candidate you believe would be the best candidate. That's the way it should work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudy-giuliani/vote-for-the-candidate-you-believe-would-be-the-best-candidate-that-s/)

[Rudy Giuliani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudy-giuliani/)

> [I think I'm the best candidate not just to beat President Obama, but to do what is necessary to get this country going, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-santorum/i-think-i-m-the-best-candidate-not-just-to-beat-president-obama-but/)

[Rick Santorum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-santorum/)

> [I am not holding a government position, where I am selecting the best candidate for say, commissioner of some corporate body, then I would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohnish-bahl/i-am-not-holding-a-government-position-where-i-am-selecting-the-best/)

[Mohnish Bahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohnish-bahl/)

> [I have given to Democrats in the past. I've always believed in supporting the best candidate at the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-mnuchin/i-have-given-to-democrats-in-the-past-i-ve-always-believed-in/)

[Steve Mnuchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-mnuchin/)

> [I'm running because I think I'm the best candidate to take Jeff Sessions' place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luther-strange/i-m-running-because-i-think-i-m-the-best-candidate-to-take-jeff/)

[Luther Strange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luther-strange/)

> [I don't have a problem with a woman being president; I just want the best candidate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bloomberg/i-don-t-have-a-problem-with-a-woman-being-president-i-just-want-the/)

[Michael Bloomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bloomberg/)

> [Americans want to be represented by the best candidate, not the one with the richest friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-kander/americans-want-to-be-represented-by-the-best-candidate-not-the-one/)

[Jason Kander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-kander/)

> [Never vote for the best candidate, vote for the one who will do the least harm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-dane/never-vote-for-the-best-candidate-vote-for-the-one-who-will-do-the/)

[Frank Dane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-dane/)

> [Nobody can ever truly replace Cristiano Ronaldo, because he was unique, a one-off, who created an unbelievably legacy of success at the club. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cafu/nobody-can-ever-truly-replace-cristiano-ronaldo-because-he-was-unique/)

[Cafu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cafu/)

> [“but rather as the best candidate whose experience as a woman in a male-dominated culture made her sharper, tougher, and more competent.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-rodham-clinton/but-rather-as-the-best-candidate-whose-experience-as-a-woman-in-a/)

[Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/)

> [I've always believed in supporting the best candidate at the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-mnuchin/i-ve-always-believed-in-supporting-the-best-candidate-at-the-time/)

[Steve Mnuchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-mnuchin/)

> [Was Sen. Barack Obama a Muslim? Did he ever practice Islam? The presidential candidate officially rejects the claims, but the issue of Obama's personal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-klein/was-sen-barack-obama-a-muslim-did-he-ever-practice-islam-the/)

[Aaron Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-klein/)

> [I want to say that I cannot be intimidated or stopped. In order to put an end to various attempts to get rid of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vitali-klitschko/i-want-to-say-that-i-cannot-be-intimidated-or-stopped-in-order-to-put/)

[Vitali Klitschko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vitali-klitschko/)

> [You should not be misled about the so-called single opposition candidate. There are so many of them now that you will lack the fingers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-lukashenko/you-should-not-be-misled-about-the-so-called-single-opposition/)

[Alexander Lukashenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-lukashenko/)

> [I know of not one Republican candidate that would not appear publicly with Mitt Romney and I know many Democrats that don't even want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-sessions/i-know-of-not-one-republican-candidate-that-would-not-appear-publicly/)

[Pete Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-sessions/)

## More by John McCain

> [I have the utmost confidence in General Mattis, General Flynn, General Kelly, Dan Coates. I couldn't have picked a better team. And so I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-have-the-utmost-confidence-in-general-mattis-general-flynn-general/)

[John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/)

> [Washington is a Hollywood for ugly people. Hollywood is a Washington for the simpleminded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/washington-is-a-hollywood-for-ugly-people-hollywood-is-a-washington/)

[John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/)

> [I think that it's important that we understand the importance of the Hispanic vote in America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-think-that-it-s-important-that-we-understand-the-importance-of-the/)

[John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/)

> [ I will not agree to have this bill \[to repeal DADT \] go forward, because our economy is in the tank. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-will-not-agree-to-have-this-bill-to-repeal-dadt-go-forward-because/)

[John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/)

> [I don't know a politician who enjoys fundraising. The system is such that the American people have lost faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-don-t-know-a-politician-who-enjoys-fundraising-the-system-is-such/)

[John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/)

> [It is perhaps my greatest hope, Mr. President, that some day we'll consider tax and spending measures with no one else in mind but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/it-is-perhaps-my-greatest-hope-mr-president-that-some-day-we-ll/)

[John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/)

> [This kind of horror has become all too familiar to us. As parents, Cindy and I offer our prayers to the memory of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/this-kind-of-horror-has-become-all-too-familiar-to-us-as-parents/)

[John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/)

> [Thousands of Americans have given their lives in Afghanistan and Iraq upholding their oaths and defending this nation. Chelsea Manning broke her oath and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/thousands-of-americans-have-given-their-lives-in-afghanistan-and-iraq/)

[John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/)

> [The truth is sometimes a hard pill to swallow. It sometimes causes us difficulties at home and abroad. It is sometimes used by our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/the-truth-is-sometimes-a-hard-pill-to-swallow-it-sometimes-causes-us/)

[John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/)

> [Countries, not just their armies, win wars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/countries-not-just-their-armies-win-wars/)

[John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/)

> [My greatest fear is the Iranians acquire a nuclear weapon and give it to a terrorist organization. And there is a real threat of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/my-greatest-fear-is-the-iranians-acquire-a-nuclear-weapon-and-give-it/)

[John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/)

> [Presidential ambition is a disease that can only be cured by embalming fluid .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/presidential-ambition-is-a-disease-that-can-only-be-cured-by/)

[John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/)

> [3 "amnesty" didn't mean rewarding illegal behavior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/3-amnesty-didn-t-mean-rewarding-illegal-behavior/)

[John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/)

> [On the subject of Osama bin Laden... we will track him down. We will capture him. We will bring him to justice, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/on-the-subject-of-osama-bin-laden-we-will-track-him-down-we-will/)

[John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/)

> [That's Joe Biden right there - unbowed, unbroken and unable to stop talking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/that-s-joe-biden-right-there-unbowed-unbroken-and-unable-to-stop/)

[John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/)

[Explore all 539 John McCain quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/)

## More Able quotes

> [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/)

[Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/)

> [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/)

[Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/)

> [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/)

[Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/)

> [In the '80s, the way radio was programmed, if you didn't have a hit record you weren't going to be able to make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/in-the-80s-the-way-radio-was-programmed-if-you-didn-t-have-a-hit/)

[Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/)

> [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/)

[Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/)

> [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/)

[Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/)

> [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/)

[Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/)

> [I wanted to remember in order to be able to return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-wanted-to-remember-in-order-to-be-able-to-return/)

[Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/)

> [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/)

[Greg Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-perry/)

> [I don't know if I would qualify as mainstream. I think I have managed to function pretty successfully on the fringes of the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-metheny/i-don-t-know-if-i-would-qualify-as-mainstream-i-think-i-have-managed/)

[Pat Metheny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-metheny/)

> [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/)

[Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/)

> [The reason that Apple is able to create products like iPad is because we always try to be at the intersection of technology and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-reason-that-apple-is-able-to-create-products-like-ipad-is-because/)

[Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/)

> [It was an important period for us, because even though we weren't a "punk band", and what became a model for a punk band,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mallinder/it-was-an-important-period-for-us-because-even-though-we-weren-t-a/)

[Stephen Mallinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mallinder/)

> [- You look fine. - Right. I look fine. Except I don't, said Zora, tugging sadly at her man's nightshirt. This was why Kiki…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/you-look-fine-right-i-look-fine-except-i-don-t-said-zora-tugging/)

[Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/)

> [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/)

[Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/)

[Browse all 17,257 Able quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I would vote for a Muslim if he or she was the best candidate able to lead the country and defend our political values.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "John McCain"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-would-vote-for-a-muslim-if-he-or-she-was-the-best-candidate-able-to/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Able"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-would-vote-for-a-muslim-if-he-or-she-was-the-best-candidate-able-to/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acf/john-mccain-465_able_i-would-vote-for-a-muslim-if-he-or-she-w_1989933.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acf/john-mccain-465_able_i-would-vote-for-a-muslim-if-he-or-she-w_1989933.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acf/john-mccain-465_able_i-would-vote-for-a-muslim-if-he-or-she-w_1989933.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I would vote for a Muslim if he or she was the best candidate able to lead the country and defend our…” — John McCain",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "John McCain",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I would vote for a Muslim...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-would-vote-for-a-muslim-if-he-or-she-was-the-best-candidate-able-to/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-would-vote-for-a-muslim-if-he-or-she-was-the-best-candidate-able-to/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
