Meet the evangelicals trying to make a case for VP Harris

Donald Trump won the support of more than 80% of white evangelicals in 2016 and 2020, but a new group is trying hard to push some of those voters toward Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris.

The political action committee Evangelicals for Harris is running a series of digital ads, including one that shows an archival video of the late evangelical preacher Billy Graham, in which he asks, “Have you been to the cross and said, ‘Lord, I have sinned'?”

Those words are juxtaposed with a video of Trump being asked during a public appearance in 2015, “Have you ever asked God for forgiveness?”

Trump responds, “I'm not sure I have. I just, I don't bring God into that picture. I don't.”

Evangelicals for Harris is also running an ad on various digital platforms, including YouTube, that features Kamala Harris speaking about her beliefs. It’s called “Fruits of the Spirit” and includes Harris saying, during a speech, “Faith motivates action. It lifts us up and it gives us purpose.”

In addition to these online ads, the group is working with local activists to hold in-person events in swing states. One of those leaders is self-described evangelical Christian and Milwaukee resident Patricia Ruiz-Cantu.

“Here in Wisconsin,” she says, “we're doing faith rallies. And we bring different congregations together to talk about values and to hear what their concerns are and try to figure out how we can work together.”

Ruiz-Cantu knows that some evangelical voters may disagree with Harris on her abortion stance. But she believes those same voters can be swayed over other issues, deeply rooted in the Christian tradition.

“In the Bible, it talks to us about loving our neighbor like we love ourselves,” she says. “Jesus Christ came for the