Appeal to Protestant Support as the 'Republican Support Base'
Former U.S. President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has launched a campaign to win over Christian voters. He expressed support for a new Louisiana law requiring the Ten Commandments to be posted in classrooms and emphasized his commitment to protecting Christians.
According to foreign media including AP, AFP, and Bloomberg on the 22nd (local time), Trump made remarks defending Louisiana's Ten Commandments posting law at an event held in Washington by the Protestant conservative group 'Faith and Freedom.' Trump said, "'Thou shalt not steal' is truly an amazing lesson," adding, "There are people who say these Ten Commandments should not be displayed. It's a crazy world."
He continued, "We will protect Christians in schools, the military, government, workplaces, hospitals, and public spaces," pledging to actively defend religious freedom and announcing the establishment of a federal task force (TF) to investigate discrimination and persecution against Christians.
He also encouraged Christian voter participation. Trump said, "Christians go to church every Sunday, but they don't vote as much," adding, "There is no time to sit idle. Please go and vote." He joked, "This time you must vote. In four years, it won't matter if you don't."
Trump's appeal is because evangelical Protestants form a key support base for the Republican Party. According to an AP VoteCast poll, during the 2020 presidential election, 8 out of 10 white evangelical voters supported Trump, and nearly 4 out of 10 voters who voted for Trump were white evangelicals.
However, he briefly mentioned the sensitive issue of abortion, which evangelical Protestants care deeply about, stating that it should be a matter decided by voters in each state.
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