Harris visits Black church in Georgia in ‘souls to the polls’ early voting push. CNN NEWS
Black churches have played a critical role in mobilizing Black voters since the Civil Rights Movement — and Democratic campaigns have long sought to reach those voters, particularly in early voting states like Georgia, where polls were open Sunday afternoon.
Despite holding an advantage over Trump among Black voters, Harris has fallen short in most polling of President Joe Biden’s numbers with the demographic when he won in 2020. In recent weeks, her campaign has made targeted media appearances and unveiled proposals aimed at Black men in a bid to strengthen her coalition. The vice president’s campaign’s “souls to the polls” effort, launched earlier this month with a board consisting of Black faith leaders from around the United States, also saw Harris’ running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, attend service at Victorious Believers Ministries in Saginaw, Michigan.
On Sunday, the congregation in Georgia sang “Happy Birthday” to Harris, who turned 60 that day. The service was also attended by Opal Lee, known as the “Grandmother of Juneteenth” for the 98-year-old’s decades-long campaign to make the day commemorating the ending of slavery a federal holiday.
The vice president wore a black suit with a pink blouse in honor of the church’s “pink day,” aimed at raising awareness of breast cancer, and she highlighted her mother’s work as a breast cancer researcher.
Harris visits Black church in Georgia in ‘souls to the polls’ early voting push. CNN NEWS
Harris said that growing up, she often attended Sunday school and sang in the choir. She learned of a “loving God who asks us to speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, and to defend the rights of the poor and the needy,” she said.
“For me, like for so many of us, church is then a place of growth and belonging and community; a place where we are reminded of the incredible power of faith and fellowship. And in moments of difficulty and uncertainty when the way is not clear, it is our faith that then guides us forward,” Harris said.
Trump on Sunday morning appeared on Fox News, where he said his closing message in the final stretch to Election Day on November 5 is focused on border security, inflation and transgender athletes.
“We’re a failing nation right now,” Trump said. “We’re failing at the borders. We’re failing with inflation and the economy. We’re failing with all of this woke stuff, like men playing in women’s sports and transgender operations and all of these things that are just terrible for our country and we just can’t let it happen.”
At a rally the night before, however, his closing pitch devolved into profane attacks and a lewd story about the late golfer Arnold Palmer.
His running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, visited Kroll’s West sports bar in Green Bay, Wisconsin, on Sunday ahead of a Packers game.
“Go Pack, go Trump,” Vance said after taking a swig of beer.
