
Kamala Harris’s “souls to the polls” is facing backlash from Christian voters, eliciting more questions than supporters.
At a Glance
- Harris faces criticism from Catholic voters due to perceived hostility.
- Polling worse than President Biden among Catholics, facing scrutiny.
- Her focus on contentious issues brings severe backlash.
- Efforts viewed as superficial by Christian leaders and influencers.
A Disconnect with Catholic Voters
Vice President Kamala Harris is facing mounting criticism from Catholic voters. The disapproval stems from perceived hostility and her consistent detachment from values critical to this significant voting bloc. Harris is currently polling worse than President Biden among Catholics, who have been pivotal in recent elections. Key battleground states such as Pennsylvania and Arizona boast substantial Catholic populations, crucial for the upcoming political race.
Adding fuel to the fire, her actions, like skipping the Archdiocese of New York’s annual Al Smith Dinner, traditionally a must for presidential candidates, was seen as offensive. The last significant candidate to opt out was Walter Mondale in 1984, who faced tremendous defeat soon after.
Kamala Harris exposes her vile hatred toward Christians once again by ridiculing a rallygoer for invoking the name of God.
“JESUS IS LORD!”
KAMALA: “You are at the wrong rally.” pic.twitter.com/wzY5ya6DDR
— CatholicVote (@CatholicVote) October 18, 2024
Clashing with Core Christian Values
A new “souls to the polls” initiative, aiming to engage Christian communities, was quickly criticized as a campaign stunt. Critics, including BlazeTV hosts and Trump advisers, see Harris’s focus on issues like abortion and gender rights as antithetical to Christian doctrines. Franklin Graham noted that his father, Billy Graham, would not endorse her due to her positions, as they clash with deeply held Christian beliefs.
“My father was a strong conservative all of his life, theologically as well as politically. He would have never voted for or supported someone like Kamala Harris — someone who is almost anti-Christ in her positions. She has done nothing to support people of faith and what we believe and what we stand for,” Christian leader Franklin Graham said about the stunt.
Adding to her woes, comments made previously during a student rally—where she told Christian students they were “at the wrong rally”—surfaced to further exemplify her issue with engaging this demographic genuinely.
Vice President Kamala Harris urged a church congregation in the Atlanta area to reject candidates who spread hate and divisiveness, seeking to mobilize Black voters in the final stretch before the Nov. 5 election https://t.co/fwBLgQHHjO
— Bloomberg Politics (@bpolitics) October 20, 2024
The Impact of a Failed Outreach
Vice President Harris’s initiatives to court faith voters through church visits and Bible verse references have been seen as hypocritical by many. Conservative commentator Hugh Hewitt points out the media’s double standard, criticizing Republican religious engagement while overlooking similar Democratic efforts. Despite hiring Rev. Jen Butler for faith outreach and releasing ads focused on belief, efforts seem to have backfired spectacularly, deterring rather than attracting Christian voters.
“It has long been a feature, not a bug, of political coverage in America to decry Republicans talking at church gatherings but to ignore as inconvenient to the dominant legacy media narrative of ‘danger on the right!’ the vibrant (and entirely constitutionally appropriate) appearance of Democrats before large Black congregations in the run-up to elections,” Hewitt said.
The rhetoric around Harris, particularly the term “Jezebel spirit,” although harsh, reflects the massive disconnect between her policies and religious constituents. This characterization, while controversial, speaks to the tension her policies have created among Christian leaders. These sentiments may shape the faith-based vote critical to any future political aspirations she might hold.
Why would Christians trust Kamala?