Former President Donald Trump urged evangelical voters to increase their turnout at the polls during two campaign events on Saturday, aiming to bolster and expand his base.
Trump addressed the Faith and Freedom Coalition conference in Washington, speaking to evangelical conservatives who have been steadfast supporters of his three presidential campaigns. Later, he held a rally in North Philadelphia as part of his efforts to connect with Black voters in the critical swing state of Pennsylvania.
Trump emphasized the importance of high voter turnout to defeat President Joe Biden, saying, “I need you to turn out in the largest numbers ever.”
“The evangelicals and Christians, they don’t vote as much as they should,” Trump noted. “They go to church every Sunday, but they don’t vote.”
He also expressed frustration that gun-rights activists weren’t voting in sufficient numbers and suggested placing ballot drop-off boxes in churches.
“You got to get out, just this time,” Trump urged. “I don’t care in four years – you don’t have to vote, OK? In four years, don’t vote, I don’t care.”
Despite his presidency not delivering on many key evangelical priorities, Trump received a warm welcome from the group, founded by conservative activist Ralph Reed. His successful appointments of Supreme Court justices who overturned Roe v. Wade and his engagement in culture-war issues have solidified his appeal among evangelicals and his position as the Republican Party leader.
Trump’s effort to turn enthusiasm into votes highlighted his reliance on motivating dedicated supporters for a potential second term. Polls indicate many moderate swing voters are dissatisfied with both candidates, considering third-party options or not voting at all.
“I think it’s sort of a protest. You’re so angry about what’s happening,” Trump remarked. “Do you know the power you’d have if you would vote?”
While focusing on conservative turnout, Trump is also appealing to Black and Latino voters, who have traditionally favored Democratic candidates but are now feeling the impact of post-pandemic inflation. His rally at Temple University in Philadelphia followed a recent visit to a Black church in Detroit.
“We will also work to lift up Black, Hispanic, and other communities in Philadelphia and all across the United States,” Trump stated.
Biden’s support among minority voters has softened, potentially giving Trump and Republicans an opportunity to gain enough backing to win close battleground states.
Trump’s efforts are complicated by his frequent negative portrayals of cities with large Black populations as crime-ridden and failing, as he did while discussing Milwaukee last week.
In Philadelphia, Trump lamented, “convenience stores are closing down left and right,” and dismissed statistics showing a significant drop in the city’s murder rate as “fake news.” As of April, homicides in Philadelphia were down by more than a third compared to the previous year.
Trump’s propensity for controversy was evident at both stops, where he proposed to Dana White, the head of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, an event pitting the champion of his league against a competing “migrant league of fighters.”
“I think the migrant guy might win,” Trump quipped. “That’s how tough they are. He didn’t like that idea too much, but actually not the worst idea I’ve ever had.”
Biden won Pennsylvania in 2020, and his chances of carrying the state in a rematch with Trump hinge on his ability to mobilize Black voters and retain working-class support. A May Bloomberg News/Morning Consult poll found Trump leading Biden 48% to 46% in Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania has become central to Trump’s reelection bid, with the Make America Great Again Inc. super-PAC focusing its efforts and funding in the state.
More broadly, Biden has struggled to convince blue-collar workers in key states like Michigan of his economic agenda.
Trump has ramped up his campaigning since becoming the first former president convicted of a felony in his New York hush-money trial, using the conviction to boost his fundraising. His campaign raised $141 million in May, surpassing Biden’s $85 million for that month.
Saturday’s visit to Washington was Trump’s second this month. Last week, he returned to Capitol Hill for the first time since the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol by his supporters, meeting with House and Senate Republicans.