RFK Jr urges Catholics to vote for Trump in new ad

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., nan achromatic sheep of America's astir well-known Catholic family, is urging nan religious to support erstwhile President Trump successful a caller TV ad.

Kennedy, who first challenged President Biden for nan Democrat information and past ran arsenic an independent, discusses his religion successful nan $250,000 advertisement spot earlier giving reasons why he now supports Trump for nan presidency. 

"President Trump has promised to return bold action connected our economy, connected nan separator and connected restoring children's health. The Democratic Party has go nan statement of war, censorship and corruption," RFK Jr. says.

"Catholics whitethorn disagree connected galore issues, but we must find a measurement to emotion our children much than we dislike each other. I dream you'll subordinate maine successful supporting Donald Trump." 

HARRIS' CATHOLIC DINNER SNUB IS JUST THE LATEST IN CAREER FULL OF SWIPES AT THE FAITHFUL, CRITICS CHARGE

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and erstwhile President Trump shingle hands during a run rally astatine Desert Diamond Arena connected August 23, 2024, successful Glendale, Ariz. (Rebecca Noble/Getty Images)

The ad, released by nan blimpish group CatholicVote, is group to aerial successful Pennsylvania earlier a wider merchandise successful plaything states, Semafor reported. It comes little than 2 weeks earlier a historically tight predetermination successful which Catholic voters could very good find who adjacent occupies nan White House.

CatholicVote President Brian Burch has criticized Harris' position connected abortion, noting nan believe violates Catholic societal teaching. In a caller question and reply pinch NBC News, nan vice president said she does not support immoderate concessions connected nan abortion issue, including belief exemptions for faith-based wellness attraction providers who person a conscientious objection to nan procedure.

"I deliberation Kamala Harris is making a monolithic gamble. She's calculating that she tin build a winning conjugation without group of faith," Burch told Fox News Digital successful an question and reply Wednesday. He acknowledged that Trump has besides "disappointed" immoderate pro-life voters by opposing a national prohibition connected abortion but said, "I deliberation Trump's comments are reflecting wherever nan nationalist is and that location is nary statement abortion." 

According to Semafor, nan collaboration pinch Kennedy came aft months of conversations pinch CatholicVote talking done their positions connected abortion. Burch told nan outlet that Kennedy yet agreed "we request to beryllium spending an adjacent magnitude of money connected helping women take to support their kid arsenic we are connected helping them to get abortions."

DEMOCRATS DRIVING RELIGIOUS VOTE AWAY FROM PARTY AS TRUMP COURTS CATHOLICS: ‘ANTI-CHRISTIAN’ PARTY

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (Rebecca Noble/Getty Images)

The pro-Trump advertisement comes arsenic nan Trump run is actively courting Catholic voters. Trump's moving mate, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, a Catholic convert, penned an op-ed successful nan Pittsburgh Post-Gazette connected Thursday that accused Harris of harboring "prejudice against Catholics." 

"Last week, Michigan politician Gretchen Whitmer, 1 of Vice President Kamala Harris’s apical surrogates, mocked nan sacrament of nan Eucharist successful a cringey skit pinch a podcaster. Last Thursday, Ms. Harris became nan first statesmanlike campaigner since 1984 to skip nan yearly Al Smith dinner, a fundraising arena that benefits Catholic Charities," Vance wrote. 

"The first insults Catholics, while nan second displays a much subtle disregard for an important Catholic taste event, 1 that raises money for societal services that assistance group successful need, including group pinch disabilities and refugees and immigrants. Both show nan Harris campaign’s anti-Catholic bigotry." 

A fistful of cardinal battleground states this predetermination rhythm person immense Catholic populations. About 24% of nan Pennsylvania population, which has been touted arsenic nan authorities that will apt find nan wide result of nan election, identifies arsenic Catholic; astir 25% of the organization successful Nevada identifies arsenic Catholic; 18% successful Michigan; 21% successful Arizona; and 25% successful Wisconsin. Other notable battleground states person a smaller Catholic population, including Georgia and North Carolina, some of which person a astir 9% organization of Catholics. 

TRUMP APPLAUDS CATHOLIC GROUP'S MULTI-MILLION ANTI-HARRIS CAMPAIGN APPEALING TO CHURCH FAITHFUL

Vice statesmanlike campaigner Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, wrote an op-ed accusing Vice President Harris of "prejudice" against Christians. (New York Times screenshot)

Catholics historically voted for Democrats until nan 1960s and early 1970s, erstwhile crime and taste issues came to nan fore alongside economical concerns, astir notably successful 1972 erstwhile President Richard Nixon's run slammed Democrat force Sen. George McGovern arsenic a campaigner who supported "amnesty, abortion and acid." 

Today, Catholic voters are evenly divided betwixt nan 2 parties, and whichever broadside captures nan mostly is usually nan broadside that wins nan White House.

President Biden, nan 2nd Catholic president successful nan nation’s history (after John F. Kennedy), won nan Catholic ballot complete Trump successful 2020 by astir 5 percent points. In 2016, Trump won nan voting bloc at 52% support compared to erstwhile Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s 44% Catholic support. Former President Obama won nan Catholic ballot successful some 2008 and 2012, arsenic did erstwhile President George W. Bush successful his 2004 predetermination against John Kerry, Pew Research information shows. 

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The objection to nan norm came successful 2000, erstwhile erstwhile Vice President Al Gore won nan Catholic ballot by 2 points complete Bush contempt losing nan statesmanlike predetermination overall.

The Harris run did not instantly respond to a petition for comment.

Fox News Digital's Emma Colton contributed to this report.