Evangelical Leaders Encourage Trump’s Election Claims
Evangelical Leaders Encourage Trump’s Election Claims
Recent PRRI data shows that more than eight in ten Americans say it is somewhat important (23%) or very important (58%) for religious leaders to speak out about a peaceful transition of power regardless of who wins the election. This includes 88% of Democrats and 77% of Republicans. According to Jack Jenkins at Religion News Service, President Donald Trump’s religious advisers are supportive of challenging the 2020 presidential election results but stop short of saying fraud has occurred. “He has a case,” Rev. Franklin Graham tells RNS. “That doesn’t mean the outcome will change. Our forefathers, when they created the Constitution, realized the election might be contested. That’s why the certification isn’t until a month or so later. It gives time for disputes to be worked out.”
COVID-19 Roars Across U.S.
On Wednesday, the United States set a new record with nearly 150,000 new cases of COVID-19 reported across the country. According to PRRI’s 2020 American Values Survey, only 16% of white Americans, compared to 38% of African Americans, 29% of Hispanic Americans, and 25% of other race or multiracial Americans, reported knowing someone who died from COVID-19 at that time. White Americans were roughly half as likely as African Americans or Hispanic Americans to say they had tested positive for COVID-19 at the time of the survey (5% vs. 12% and 9%, respectively). According to The Washington Post, there have been more than 241,000 deaths attributed to COVID-19 since February.
PRRI Board Member Analyzes Asian American Votes for Biden
According to NBC News, Asian American voters were twice as likely to vote for President-elect Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election than they were President Donald Trump. PRRI Board Member Janelle Wong tells Kimmy Yam of NBC News that those numbers track with her recent research. “Asian Americans have been distinct from the general U.S. public when it comes to progressive views on health care, the environment, gun control and a social safety net provided by the government,” Wong tells Yam. “These issue positions have propelled Asian Americans toward the Democratic presidential candidate for the past seven election cycles.”
Proud Boys Plan Pro-Trump Rally Near White House
PRRI data indicates that a majority of Americans (57%) say that President Donald Trump’s decisions and behavior as president have encouraged white supremacist groups. During one of the 2020 presidential debates, Trump chose not to disavow the far-right “Proud Boys” group, instead telling them to “stand back and stand by.” On Saturday, the Proud Boys plan to assemble near the White House. “We continue to follow those activities and be prepared for those activities,” DC Mayor Muriel Bowser says. “Our police chief will have a similar posture this weekend as he did last week. And we will be there to support peaceful exercise of First Amendment demonstrations.