Eyes on 2024: GOP hopefuls court Christian conservatives

Almost all of the top Republican presidential hopefuls gathered in the nation’s capital over the weekend for the Faith and Freedom Coalition conference, a gathering of Christian conservatives, as the nation marked one year since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.

While abortion was a top discussion point at the confab, NBC News’ Matt Dixon reports that former President Donald Trump was the real star of the show. Dixon wrote that “none [of the other candidates] could compete with even the mere mentions of Trump’s name, which each time elicited vocal reaction from the crowd.” 

Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie was the only candidate to directly target Trump, drawing boos from the crowd as he said Trump “let us down,” per NBC News’ Michael Mitsanas. 

“You can boo all you want,” Christie responded. “But here’s the thing, our faith teaches us that people have to take responsibility for what they do. People have to stand up and take accountability for what they do.”

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Trump’s chief rival for the GOP nod, did not mention the former president by name, but took veiled shots at Trump. DeSantis once again vowed to appoint justices to the Supreme Court “in the mold of justices Clarence Thomas and Justice Samuel Alito,” after previously criticizing Trump’s appointees, per NBC News’ Gabe Gutierrez and Ali Vitali. 

In other campaign news … 

Back to December? Prosecutors have asked that the trial in the case involving Trump’s handling of classified documents be delayed until December so the defense attorneys can get security clearances. 

Pardon? Each of the GOP presidential candidates has been asked if he or she would pardon Trump if they are elected president. NBC News’ Amanda Terkel and JoElla Carman break down where they stand.

Trump returns: Trump visited Michigan on Sunday to address the Oakland County GOP, his first visit to the battleground state since launching his third run for president. The Associated Press delves into Trump’s primary strategy there and his impact on the Wolverine State. 

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For Subscribers

FOR SUBSCRIBERSNew AI tool for voters offers a specialized chatbot to explain your ballot

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FOR SUBSCRIBERSInteractive map: How far do you live from the nearest data center?

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FOR SUBSCRIBERSAIPAC shifts tactics amid voter frustration with Israel

FOR SUBSCRIBERSThe viral attack ad featuring an estranged mother

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Supercharging campaigns: Politico dives into the role that super PACs are playing in the presidential race so far, including the expansion of field operations and fundraising, which “could test the legal limits on coordination between campaigns and super PACs.”

MT-SEN: GOP Rep. Matt Rosendale has told fellow lawmakers that he plans to run for Senate in Montana, per Politico. And the AP reports that Democratic Sen. Jon Tester is taking campaign donations from lobbyists and executives, something he had previously used against an opponent.

House battle: Democrats are confident that abortion will be a winning issue for their party up and down the ballot in 2024. But in the fight for the House, things could get complicated as many of their targeted districts are in states where abortion rights are protected.

The threat of a second Trump term: Democrats in key battleground states are warning President Biden’s campaign and others not to underestimate Trump, who won the presidential contest against long odds before and could do it again, they tell NBC News’ Vaughn Hillyard and Jonathan Allen.

Special twist: In Utah’s 2nd District, where GOP Rep. Chris Stewart is resigning later this year, GOP delegates chose Celeste Maloy, a former Stewart staffer, as their preferred candidate to replace him at their convention over the weekend. She will be the GOP nominee if no one else qualifies for the primary ballot. 

Jumping in: Delaware Democratic state Sen. Sarah McBride is running for Congress, according to Delaware Online/The News Journal, and would be the first transgender person in Congress if elected.