Presidential Race 2024

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More than 1,000 faith leaders endorse Harris as vice president leans on her faith to turn out Black voters

https://news.yahoo.com/news/more-1-0...120047072.html


Sun, October 27, 2024 at 8:00 AM EDT·5 min read
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More than a thousand religious leaders endorsed Kamala Harris on Sunday, bolstering the Democratic presidential nominee’s push to emphasize how faith is informing her campaign ahead of next week’s election.

Among those backing the vice president is the Rev. William J. Barber II, a North Carolina-based faith leader who has pushed the Biden administration to call for a ceasefire in Gaza.

“In a moment like this, I am compelled to be clear that every voter must make a choice, and my choice is to oppose the dangerous politics that (Donald) Trump and the MAGA movement have unleashed by supporting the ticket that can defeat this potential for American fascism,” Barber said in a statement to CNN, while stressing that he was backing Harris in his personal capacity.

The endorsements come as Harris has been leaning on her faith – and her ties to Black faith communities – as she seeks to turn out Black voters in her closing pitch.

The vice president, who attended a Black Baptist church in Oakland growing up, appeared with her longtime pastor, the Rev. Amos C. Brown III of San Francisco’s Third Baptist Church, as part of a “souls to the polls” push in Georgia last weekend, a widespread effort to engage Black churchgoers in swing states.

And in comments at a Black church in West Philadelphia on Sunday, Harris “will continue to emphasize the importance of putting faith into action this campaign,” according to a senior campaign official.

Harris has alluded to faith throughout her campaign. The vice president said during a CNN town hall last week that after President Joe Biden called her this summer to say he would no longer seek reelection, she called Brown, seeking advice and prayer. Asked by CNN’s Anderson Cooper whether she prays every day, Harris said she does.

“Sometimes twice a day,” she said. “I was raised to believe in a loving God, to believe that your faith is a verb.”