Harris makes pitch to Black churches after telling protesters praising Jesus, 'You're at the wrong rally'

Vice President Harris made campaign stops at Black churches in Georgia over the weekend, days after sparking controversy among Christian Americans by telling protesters praising Jesus "you're at the wrong rally." 

Harris celebrated her 60th birthday at two Black churches outside of Atlanta on Sunday as part of a nationwide push – known as "Souls to the Polls" – to encourage Black voters to participate in early voting.  

After the congregation at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Stonecrest, Georgia, sang "Happy Birthday" to her, Harris made a veiled dig at her opponent, former President Trump, while speaking about her faith. 

"In this moment, across our nation, what we do see are some who try to deepen division among us, spread hate, sow fear and cause chaos," Harris told Black churchgoers. "There are those who suggest that the measure of the strength of a leader is based on who you beat down instead of what we know, which is the true measure of the strength of a leader, is based on who you lift up." 

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Harris was later serenaded by Stevie Wonder at Divine Faith Ministries International in Jonesboro, Georgia, where the Democratic nominee referenced the parable of the good Samaritan a second time. 

"There is so much at stake right now," Harris said, attempting to contrast herself against Trump two weeks from Election Day. "We understand that for us to do good works, it means to do it in the spirit of understanding that our strength is not based on who we beat down as someone tries to suggest…."

"Our strength is based on who we lift up, and that spirit is very much at stake in these next 16 days, which is are we a country that honors through our faith and our deeds the importance of kindness – of support, of understanding the dignity in each other and the respect that we should have for each other." 

The concept of "Souls to the Polls" dates back to the Civil Rights Movement. Black congregations hold a tradition of leading get-out-the-vote campaigns to counter voter suppression efforts of the Jim Crow era. 

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Harris' appearances in the swing state of Georgia come days after she told two pro-life student protesters that they were "at the wrong rally" when they yelled, "Jesus is Lord," and, "Christ is King," during a campaign stop in Wisconsin last week.

By contrast, Trump's running mate Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, repeated, "Jesus is King" when someone shouted the phrase at his rally in Wisconsin over the weekend, telling the crowd how he believes "there is something really bizarre with Harris' anti-Christian rhetoric and anti-Christian approach to public policy." 

Harris also skipped the Al Smith dinner, a Catholic charity event in New York City and a traditional campaign stop for presidential nominees, instead sending a poorly-received video message last week.

Trump is campaigning in another battleground, North Carolina, on Monday, where he is expected to visit Hurricane Helene devastation in Asheville before convening an "11th Hour Faith Leaders Meeting" with Eric Trump and Ben Carson outside of Charlotte. The Republican nominee's "Believers for Trump" initiative includes outreach to Black voters, a traditionally Democratic constituency where Trump has made inroads.

The engagement of faith voters in the 2024 election underscores an unprecedented blending of partisan politics with Christianity at a moment when many churches have seen attendance decline. 

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On Friday, the Democratic National Committee hosted a call to launch its "Souls to the Polls" effort with civil rights activist Martin Luther King III, who endorsed Harris and called Trump "a disaster for Black America." The campaign kicked off its own "Souls to the Polls" program and set up a faith advisory board of progressive faith leaders that includes a pastor, Amos C. Brown, of the Third Baptist Church in San Francisco.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.