BALTIMORE — Just before Vice President Kamala Harris announced her presidential run, Phoenix pastor Rev. Warren Stewart, Sr. sought guidance from his friend Rev. Amos Brown, a pastor from San Francisco and a long-time faith advisor to Harris.

Stewart voiced his concerns regarding former President Donald Trump’s prospects against President Joe Biden, particularly in critical swing states like Arizona. In response, Brown urged Stewart to remain patient and hopeful. Both Stewart and Brown are members of the National Baptist Convention, USA, a historically Black denomination.

“We were feeling hopeless,” Stewart conveyed in an interview with The Tennessean, a partner of YSL News Network, during the National Baptist Convention, USA annual gathering in Baltimore. “Supporters of justice, people of color, and even some poor white individuals had scant hope due to Trump’s anti-justice stance.”

However, Stewart noted a swift change in sentiment as Brown had predicted, when Biden dropped out of the race and endorsed Harris. Stewart recounts that he was delivering a sermon when the announcement came through. This unexpected turn led to a personal meeting with the Democratic nominee during a rally in Arizona.

“Now, there’s a wave of excitement,” Stewart remarked. “We have a Christian woman of color who is a Black Baptist. I know her pastor. This has sparked hope and inspiration.”

Historically, Black churches have consistently played a vital role in mobilizing support for Democratic candidates through voter registration campaigns and initiatives like “souls to the polls.” Biden in 2020 and former President Barack Obama both garnered enthusiastic backing from Black voters during their electoral successes.

As the presidential race approaches its conclusion, Harris’ candidacy is gaining traction from the enthusiasm that Stewart and others share. A recent exclusive poll from YSL News and Suffolk University found Harris with a slight edge over Trump nationally at 48%-43%, boosted by support from Hispanic, Black, and young voters.

However, support for Harris among Black clergy and community leaders is rooted in deeper, more personal factors beyond historical voting patterns or opposition to Trump. The prospect of a Black woman with a common religious background potentially becoming president is particularly resonant.

“It’s like seeing someone from your own family,” expressed Zena Simmons, who traveled from New Jersey for the Baltimore event. “What excites me is that she looks like me.”

The National Baptist Convention, USA, often referred to as NBCUSA, is one of the four largest Black Baptist denominations in the U.S., claiming between 5.2 million and 7.5 million members. The organization has a rich history of advocating for civil rights, criminal justice reform, and housing issues, as well as investing in voter rights campaigns. During the convention held last week at the Baltimore Convention Center, thousands of clergy and lay leaders reflected on Harris and the impending election.

Simmons, proudly wearing a “Kamala Harris for president” shirt at last week’s gatherings, fulfills her duties as an usher at her church. Alongside her church commitments, Simmons volunteers as a poll worker for the local election office.

Simmons has specific issues that draw her to Harris and the November election, but she emphasized that her engagement in the political process is rooted in principles—a message echoed by her church.

“At my church, we focus on this during every election,” Simmons said, referencing initiatives for voter registration and turnout. “Every election matters for our children and our future.”

Voting with Integrity

The National Baptist Convention, USA promotes voter participation, but it’s not exclusively linked to backing Democratic candidates, although both elements influence each other.

“We focus on why they should vote, not whom to vote for,” explained Rev. Thomas Morris, Sr., a pastor and lawyer from Mississippi.

Morris, who serves on the NBCUSA Board of Directors and chaired a leadership election committee, pointed out that the convention does not endorse specific candidates. National Baptist leaders allow local churches to decide how to address voter registration, a reflection of their belief in local church independence and a grassroots leadership structure.

Instead, leaders at the national and state levels of the NBCUSA provide guidelines and resources for pastors to incorporate in their messages or to create voter education initiatives and events. This focus on voter engagement became even more pronounced under Rev. Jerry Young’s leadership, who headed a social justice committee aimed at producing a voter mobilization resource book.

“It’s essential for us to be informed and engaged in the political sphere to make sound choices and elect individuals with moral integrity, conviction, and character,” noted the social justice committee in the resource book released ahead of the 2020 presidential election.

Keeping these principles in mind, Morris expressed his support for Harris as “a clear choice.”

“The current options we face make the decision evident,” Morris stated. “Recognizing someone with a background similar to yours…it feels like a guaranteed win.”

Young’s strong emphasis on voter participation boosted the convention’s visibility to President Biden, who visited Young’s church in 2020, and Harris, who spoke at the NBCUSA’s annual meeting in 2022. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also addressed the convention during her presidential campaign in 2016, and Young provided an opening prayer at the 2020 Democratic National Convention.

This year, the Harris-Walz campaign set up a booth at the convention’s annual meeting, with Rev. Michael McClain, a faith outreach director for the campaign, distributing “Harris-Walz” signs and engaging with attendees about Harris’s candidacy.

“The reception we get is very positive,” McClain, who previously led a church affiliated with the NBCUSA in South Carolina, said in an interview. “They are pleased to have us here.”

In the weeks leading up, McClain attended events for other historically Black denominations, including the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church and the AME Zion Church. Harris even recorded a message for the AME Church for their recent gathering in Columbus, Ohio.

McClain also coordinates weekly calls with faith leaders to share details and promote voter participation. At the NBCUSA’s annual meeting and similar events, McClain reported a consistent atmosphere of support.

“They consistently voice their backing for Vice President Harris and Governor Walz,” McClain shared. “In fact, their support for Vice President Harris and Governor Walz is unwavering.”

Challenges and Increased Stakes

While many National Baptists express steadfast support for Harris, some concerns exist.

The convention includes numerous conservative preachers who hold traditional views on specific social issues, and although the convention doesn’t officially address many of these concerns, some pastors have reservations about the Democratic Party’s position on abortion.

Stewart and Texas pastor Rev. Dwight McKissic, who has played important roles in the convention and is active with the cross-denominational group Evangelicals for Harris, shared in an interview that their disagreements with Harris regarding abortion are notable.

Stewart has historically voiced strong opposition to abortion, maintaining his stance even when peers in the civil rights movement leaned more left on the issue.

However, McKissic mentioned that the dynamics surrounding abortion politics are shifting due to the Republican Party, under Trump, adopting a more moderate approach in recent times. Comments by Trump regarding leaving abortion decisions to states and in vitro fertilization reflect these changes.

This has sparked anger among some conservatives, who label Trump as pro-choice.

“This removes any sort of doubt for me,” McKissic remarked.

McKissic’s backing for Harris has drawn significant backlash from his colleagues in the Southern Baptist Convention, with whom he is affiliated.

Conversely, Stewart expresses serious concerns regarding Harris’ position on abortion, but believes there are even more pressing matters in this election. The pastor from Phoenix mentioned that his church plans to hold discussions later this month and next on the topic of Christian nationalism, and the implications of Project 2025 on democracy.

“I don’t instruct people on how to vote. However, we identify as a Jesus and justice church,” Stewart noted. “I struggle to understand how anyone who stands for justice could support Donald Trump.”

Liam Adams covers matters of faith for The Tennessean, a part of the YSL News Network. You can  follow him on social media @liamsadams.