FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 14, 2026
Contact: cbeyer@cfequality.org
The Indiana State House (photo by Daniel Schwen via Wikimedia Commons)
Center for Freethought Equality PAC Endorses Five Candidates for State Office
“When secular candidates run openly and win, it sends a clear message that you don't have to hide who you are to lead”
WASHINGTON – The Center for Freethought Equality (CFE), the advocacy and political arm of the American Humanist Association, is proud to announce its PAC’s latest endorsement of five candidates running for state and local office in Indiana, Oklahoma, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
This slate brings together humanist, atheist, agnostic and allied leaders fighting to protect church-state separation and safeguard public institutions at the state level:
Brenna Geswein (Indiana State House, District 13): Brenna Geswein is a Christian and ally.
Mickey Dollens (Oklahoma State House, District 93): Mickey Dollens is an agnostic.
Michelle McCane (Oklahoma State House, District 72): Michelle McCane is an atheist.
Alexia Unertl (Wisconsin State House, District 4): Alexia Unertl is a secular humanist.
Rah Reinholz (Wyoming State House, District 17): Rah Reinholz is nonreligious.
“We're thrilled to see candidates like Brenna Geswein, Mickey Dollens, Michelle McCane, Alexia Unertl and Rah Reinholz stepping up to run for office this cycle. Each of them brings a genuine commitment to representing their communities with honesty and integrity, and four out of these five candidates are openly secular in some form – whether atheist, agnostic, secular humanist or nonreligious,” said Fish Stark, Executive Director of the Center for Freethought Equality. “That kind of visible, unapologetic representation is exactly what we want to see more of in statehouses across the country. When secular candidates run openly and win, it sends a clear message that you don't have to hide who you are to lead.”
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The Center for Freethought Equality advocates for issues the humanist and atheist community cares about like the separation of church and state, protecting civil liberties, and advancing progressive policies. The CFE also has an affiliated political action committee that works to increase the number of open humanists and atheists in public office at all levels of government. A list of our endorsed candidates can be found here.
