In Detroit, Republicans pray pastors can help them win black votes

DETROIT — With a Michigan win all but guaranteeing Donald Trump the White House, his campaign deployed disciples in downtown Detroit last week to boost his backing among black voters.Pastor Lorenzo Sewell of 180Church, who gave a fiery prime-time speech at last month’s Republican National Convention, emceed the Thursday roundtable, which aimed to route Republican outreach through a trusted source in the community: the black pastor.Sewell said he has always voted Republican, though few knew — until Trump’s July appearance at his church, which Sewell calls his “coming-out party.”“My whole life, I’ve had the honor to serve in Detroit, Pontiac and Saginaw,” he said.“Always serving in Democratic strongholds but always voting Republican.”Why? “I believe in the Bible.” A fellow churchman echoed his remarks at the event, held at restaurant Table No.

2.“I’m often asked why I’m even involved with this whole political madness going on our country right now,” said Apostle Ellis L.Smith, who leads Jubilee City Church in neighboring Redford.

“But I’m not politically motivated.I’m really not a Republican, I’m not a Democrat, I’m a Bible-crat.”“We have to begin to think biblically,” Smith said.

“Not culturally, biblically.Not black or white, biblically.

As a grandparent, and now I’m a great grandparent, I don’t want little boys who think they’re girls going into the bathroom with my grandchildren.”“As Detroit goes, so goes America,” Smith added.“And as America goes, so goes the world.

So what we do and how we do it has the capacity to change everything.”Clinton Tarver, 74, knows firsthand what the Trump campaign is up against.The Clint’s Hotdog Cart and Casual Catering owner is running as a Republican for the Ingham County Commission.

He and his wife, Linda, have been involved in GOP politics for years; she’s a former civil-rights commissioner for the state.When Tarver hits the campaign trail, he has to...