Staff Reports
The Democrats may be in a pinch if they think Kamala Harris can rally the Catholic vote come November. With the recent announcement of President Biden stepping back from his re-election bid, Harris has taken the reins as the primary candidate for the party. This scenario is troubling for Democrats who are banking on traditional Catholic support, primarily due to Harris’s long history of what many classify as blatant “anti-Catholic bigotry.” Incidents from her tenure as California Attorney General and her time in the Senate have raised red flags with groups like CatholicVote, pointing to her clear hostility toward faith-centered beliefs.
The fumbled attempts of Harris to connect with people of faith seem to backfire consistently. One standout moment was her interrogation of judicial nominee Brian Buescher, probing him about his involvement in the Knights of Columbus, a notorious men’s fraternity infamous for hosting pancake breakfasts and doing charity work. Harris questioned whether he was aware that the organization took a stand against abortion, and even pressed him on whether he’d resign if confirmed. This means she’s advocating a rather alarming standard: if you’re a believer, you might just find yourself out of a job in Harris’s brave new world.
Traditional Catholics warn of Kamala Harris’s record of ‘anti-Catholic bigotry’https://t.co/Ql0oq2xLLj pic.twitter.com/WXQpo0E7m8
— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) July 24, 2024
Brian Burch from CatholicVote didn’t pull punches, describing Harris as the epitome of incompetence, corruption, and a bigoted agenda typical of far-left ideologies. She hasn’t just picked a fight with individual beliefs; her brand of politics swings a heavy hammer aimed at the tenets of the Catholic Church itself. The most recent example involves her assertion that supporting abortion rights doesn’t mean giving up one’s faith, a notion that has conservative Catholics rolling their eyes in disbelief.
Academic voices from within the religious community have also stepped forward, echoing concerns about Harris’s track record of anti-Catholic sentiment. Her actions in support of radical policies have often clashed with traditional beliefs, such as advocating for 2015 laws that constrained pro-life pregnancy centers or sponsoring measures that strip religious institutions of the ability to express their beliefs in areas like healthcare coverage for birth control or abortion. The opposition to these moves is loud and clear among conservative circles.
As the Democratic ticket gears up for the 2024 race, it’s unlikely that Harris’s background as a Baptized but not Catholic candidate will inspire confidence among traditional Catholic voters. Historically, Catholics haven’t flocked to candidates merely for their faith; they have shown they prioritize policies and respect for their beliefs. With Trump’s running mate, Senator J.D. Vance, being a recent convert to Catholicism and vocal about his faith, it raises the stakes for Harris even further.
If Democrats hope Harris can flip the script with Catholic voters, they’d best hold onto their rosaries. The uphill battle is not just meaningful policy differences; there’s a deeply rooted sense of mistrust towards a candidate who has built her political career on undermining the very principles many Catholics hold dear. Traditional Catholics have a heavy presence in crucial swing states, and Harris’s uphill battle may just turn into a steep slope by November.
