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A2 u.s. news
Monday 23 SepteMber 2024

Are Trump and Harris particularly Christian? That’s not what most

Americans would say: AP-NORC poll

By HOLLY MEYER, PETER inational Christian near the "very" well.
SMITH and AMELIA THOM- end of his presidency. Strikingly, that appears
SON-DEVEAUX Despite that, few Ameri- to matter little to part of
Associated Press cans see the presidential Trump's loyal base: white
Vice President Kamala Har- candidates as particularly evangelical Protestants.
ris is a Baptist who was in- Christian, according to a About 7 in 10 members of
fluenced by religious tradi- new survey conducted this group view him favor-
tions in her mother's home Sept. 12-16 by the Associ- ably. But only about half
country of India. ated Press-NORC Center say Trump best represents
Former President Donald for Public Affairs. Only 14% their beliefs — around 1 in
Trump grew up a mainline of U.S. adults say the word 10 say this about Harris, and
Presbyterian but began "Christian" describes Har- one-third say neither can-
identifying as a nondenom- ris or Trump "extremely" or didate represents their reli-

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald
Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Vice President
Kamala Harris shake hands before the start of an ABC News
presidential debate at the National Constitution Center, Sept.
10, 2024, in Philadelphia.
Associated Press

gious beliefs — and around tion attempt against him.
2 in 10 say "Christian" de- "God Almighty intervened
scribes him extremely or because America is one
very well."They really don't nation under God, and he
care about, is he religious or is certainly not finished with
not," said R. Marie Griffith, a President Trump," she said.
religion and politics profes- "And our country is better
sor at Washington Univer- for it."Anthea Butler, pro-
sity in St. Louis. fessor of religious studies at
The survey results represent the University of Pennsylva-
the shift in how white evan- nia, said white evangelicals
gelicals now talk about mo- likely see him as instrumen-
rality and religion in politics, tal to their goals, such as his
said Griffith. She pointed to appointment of conserva-
a white evangelical culture tive, anti-abortion justices
that takes care of its own, to the Supreme Court.
but sees liberal outsiders as For the head of the Demo-
evil, and therefore, support cratic ticket, a large major-
for a Democrat is unimagi- ity — three-quarters — of
nable to many. Harris' fellow Black Protes-
Evangelical leaders, she tants view her favorably
said, are pushing this idea and 6 in 10 say she best
that, "this is God's man, represents their religious
and we can't ask why. We beliefs. But only around 4 in
don't have to ask why. It 10 say "Christian" describes
doesn't matter if he's moral, her very or extremely well.
it doesn't matter if he's reli- That's still higher than the
gious. It doesn't matter if he share of Democrats overall
lies compulsively. It's for the who think this about Harris,
greater good that we get at around one-quarter.
him re-elected." Butler is not surprised that
At the Republican National esteem for Trump is low
Convention, Arkansas Gov. among Black Protestants,
Sarah Huckabee Sanders, and that they are more
a conservative Christian likely to see Harris, a Bap-
and Trump's former White tist with influences from
House press secretary, in- the spiritual tradition of her
voked God when she ad- mother's native India, as
dressed the first assassina- Christian.q