In the same way as interpreting the bible correctly requires touching on layers of context from more immediate to important but more distant, choosing between candidates involves analyzing them on the basis of more important to lesser important items of faith.
The core belief of Christianity is found in the entirety of the Apostle’s Creed, but begins with “I believe in God, the Father Almighty, the Maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord:Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost,...”
This testimony to the true, trinitarian God might be called the core of the core.
Also important, but less central to a Christian understanding of creation might be “honorable dealings with one’s fellow humans.” On the periphery might be “wholesome living.” (These are just examples)
One has an internal checklist when viewing a candidate, and the fewer checks, the more unacceptable the candidate. I believe Billy Graham’s recent advertisement called upon Christians to vote their principles. He’s absolutely right. Check them, weight them, add up the result, and one can get some idea if it would be a justifiable thing to pull the lever for a particular candidate.
and I am still voting for president NOT for pastor....we do not live in a theocracy much as some would like to