Well beyond the halcyon days of the Bible Belt, faith still matters in eastern North Carolina. And the Rocky Mount Events Center crowd of about 5,000 who turned out to former President Donald’ Trump’s campaign rally Wednesday made sure it was known at every opportunity.

“We’re uniting Christians and Jews and Catholics and evangelicals and Muslims and Mormons and everyone who simply wants one thing, to make America great again,” Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, told his enthusiastic audience bedecked in red, white and blue.

Laurie Buckhout, the 1st Congressional District candidate in these parts, illuminated what it means with The Center Square before the 45th president took the stage.

“I was talking to a guy backstage, a Secret Service agent,” she said. “He’s like, ‘I got prayed over yesterday.’ He’s not done this. And I said, ‘How did you feel afterward?’ He goes, ‘I felt so good.’ I said, ‘Embrace it, baby.’ It is one of the best parts of running in North Carolina is that faith, is that love. And it’s positive. It’s based on good things. It’s truly based on joy; it’s about bringing back prosperity and a vision that is faith-based.”

Faith has gotten a shove toward the front of this election stage. Perhaps as much or more so since America elected John F. Kennedy in 1960, the first Roman Catholic president who came with a far different narrative than the next after him – President Joe Biden.

Whereas Biden’s faith mostly stayed out of the headlines four years ago, Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris has doubled down calling Trump a fascist, and the Democratic National Committee is linking him to Hitler.

For context, the days of Hitler some 90 years ago included Germans who were Christian, though neither belonging to the Roman Catholic or the Protestant churches.

Fascism, to be clear, is a political ideology through suppression of opposition and social hierarchy, all of which is contrary to not only the Presbyterian raisings of her opponent but Christians in general.

Then there’s the war in the Middle East, ignited after Hamas attacked Israel 13 months ago, central to escalated protests on American campuses, and punctuated by more Democrats backing Palestine and a ceasefire, over America’s historical ally in the region.

Harris, in a social media post Sept. 19, wrote, “One does not have to abandon their faith or deeply held beliefs to agree: The government, and certainly Donald Trump, should not be telling a woman what to do with her body.”

Just over 90 minutes after her post, NFL Hall of Fame coaching legend Tony Dungy, among many, responded in part, “Are you talking about the Christian faith that says all babies are made in the image of God (Gen 1:26), that God places them in the womb (Jer 1:5) and that we should not take any life unjustly (Luke 18:20)? What ‘faith’ are you talking about?”

On Oct. 10, Harris was just down the road from Rocky Mount in the pulpit of an eastern North Carolina church. Five days later in Wisconsin at a rally, she answered a participant’s cry out of “Jesus is Lord” by saying, “You’re at the wrong rally. The other one is down the street.”

“It makes you question her sincerity, because that was scripted,” said U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson, a Republican from the state’s 9th Congressional District. “What wasn’t scripted was her off the cuff remark to that young man, that you’re at the wrong rally. That’s what she really believes.”

Trump’s lifestyle has snagged its share of headlines, with accusations of affairs and boys locker room talk in secret recordings. As for faith, most thought he was done in January 2016 just under 11 months from defeating Hillary Clinton, when he infamously quoted Scripture at Liberty University saying “two Corinthians” rather than “second,” as is more common.

“Faith matters,” said Buckhout, the retired lieutenant colonel facing Democrat Rep. Don Davis and trying to be the first Republican to win an election representing the northeastern part of the state since 1882. “Faith matters in this state. Faith matters in this district, more than a whole lot of people think.”

And, she says, not of the old Bible Belt way.

“It did get shook,” she says of the moniker, “and it came to have a not great conversation. Now, it’s a loving, accepting positive environment. It’s a wide environment. I see it all over the state. It’s loving, it’s kind, it’s accepting, it’s positive. It wants good things for everybody. Every race, every demographic, and you want everyone to be lifted.”

Buckhout and Hudson, each of whom revved the crowd ahead of Trump taking the stage, say there’s nothing wrong with people standing up for what they believe in, no matter their political party.

“There are people in this room who disagree with me on issues, but they’re welcome to be here,” Hudson said. “Something so fundamental as your faith, and to say you’re not welcome at a Kamala Harris rally, is shocking. She’s lost her way.

“The thing about America – we have the freedom to choose our religion. We have the freedom to voice our opinions. That was shocking.”

Hudson said it’s more than policy on which the Democrats are wrong.

“The American people recognize; they don’t like the direction of the country,” he said.

Division driven by Harris and Trump will ultimately have a resting place – Election Day is Tuesday. And this battleground state pivots 16 electoral college votes.

“It’s not red churches and blue churches,” Buckhout says, echoing many a pastor along Tobacco Road. “These pastors come in; they’re going to pray over you no matter what color shirt you’re wearing. And we feel the same way. I see more hugs going out.

“I run into people on the campaign trail, and they say, ‘Hey, you know what, I’d love to vote for you but I’m a Democrat.’ And I would say, ‘God bless you. Thank you for being a part of the American experience. God bless you and thank you for voting.’ It’s OK.”