Over a thousand faith leaders endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris just days before the election. Among those endorsers is Rev. William J. Barber II, a prominent social justice activist who, in endorsing her, said that he believes supporting Harris is about being able to stand against what he described as the “dangerous politics” of former President Donald Trump and the MAGA movement. Barber, who also called for a cease-fire in Gaza, added he’s supporting Harris on his own, not on behalf of his organization.
This support is in line with Harris’s outreach to Black faith communities. Drawing on her roots within the Black Baptist church, she drives voter turnout.
This past weekend, Harris attended a “souls to the polls” event in Georgia accompanied by Rev. Amos C. Brown III, her long-time pastor, to highlight faith as a motivator in her campaign. Harris has spoken often of her faith, describing it as part of her everyday life and “a verb” that animates her work.
Former President Trump is also courting religious voters, particularly among White evangelicals and disaffected Muslim and Arab American communities, by touting his protection of religious liberties and conservative appointments to the Supreme Court. In remarks to his faith supporters, Trump claimed Harris is “very destructive to religion” and hailed recent endorsements from across the faith spectrum.
As the election is less than a week away, faith leaders like Barber are encouraging faith communities to reflect on which candidate best aligns with their values.
