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ByBillBarrow The Associated Press ATLANTA RepublicanDon- ald Trump has told conser- vative evangelical pastors in Florida that his presi- dency would preserve "re- ligious liberty" and reverse what he insists is a govern- ment-enforced muzzling of Christians. The same afternoon, Democratic vice presiden- tial nominee Tim Kaine praised another, more lib- eral group of black church leaders in Louisiana for their "progressive values that are the values of Scrip- ture," and he urged them to see Hillary Clinton as a kin- dred spirit. The competing appear- ances earlier this month highlight an oft-overlooked political reality: The "reli- gious vote" is vast and com- plex, and it extends beyond generalizations about "so- cial conservatives" who side with Republicans and black Protestant churches whose pastors and parishioners opt nearly unanimously for Democrats. Here's an overview of how the dynamics among reli- gious voters could help de- termine the 45th president. Arevotersreligious? There's a reason politi- cians chase steeples. Exit polls from recent elections suggest religiously affili- ated Americans and those who attend services regu- larly are more likely to vote than those who claim no or- ganized faith identity. In 2012 exit polls, al- most nine out of 10 voters claimed some religious af- filiation and eight out of 10 voters identified as Chris- tian. That's a higher pro- portion than what surveys typically find in the general population: A 2014 Pew Re- search Center survey found that three out of four people claim a religious affiliation, while seven out of 10 Amer- icans are Christian. Still, there's no absolute count of who believes what, since the government's cen- sus doesn't ask. Christians and GOP White Christians do skew toward Republicans. Pres- ident Barack Obama won about 40 percent of white Catholics, according to 2012 exit polls. He won less than a third of white non-Catho- lic Christians. A slice of that group, white evangelical or "born-again" Christians, are evenmoreconservative,with a strong opposition to abor- tion rights and same-sex marriage, along with strong support for Israel. Obama won just a fifth of them. Yet those groups are just a subset of religious voters, and the Democratic nomi- nee still gets some of that vote. White non-Catho- lic Christians cast about 40 percent of the 2012 bal- lots, with white Catholics responsible for less than a fifth. The "born-again" white evangelical vote ac- counted for just a quarter of the overall electorate — same as the total Catholic vote that includes millions of Hispanics, Asians and African-Americans. Black and Hispanic vot- ers, meanwhile, also form key pieces of the religious vote, and they lean heavily in Democrats' favor. Trump, evangelicals In Florida, Trump told pastors he's not their "per- fect" candidate. He's drawn fire for his boasts about sexual ex- ploits and his caustic rhet- oric about immigrants. But he's tapped Mike Pence as his running mate, touting the Indiana gover- nor's staunch anti-abortion, anti-gay rights record that appeals to many white reli- gious conservatives. Trump compares himself to Ronald Reagan, another divorced candidate ini- tially questioned and then embraced by conservative religious leaders. Reagan "knew how to win," Trump reminded the pastors in Florida. Arguing that too many evangelicals stayed home for Obama's victories, Trump says he's the move- ment's best chance for con- servative federal court ap- pointments and relax- ing the ban on tax-exempt churches participating in blatant political activity. Yet Trump also risks his own oversimplifications. He urgedtheFloridaassemblyto "get your people out to vote." Clinton the Methodist Just as Trump is aiming for traditionally Republi- can religious sectors, Clin- ton's is focusing most heav- ily on a Democratic trove: the black church. The group Kaine addressed in New Orleans was the Progres- sive National Baptist Con- vention, an outgrowth of the civil rights movement. Clinton's staff includes a "national African-Ameri- can faith outreach director." Still, Clinton bets that Trump's atypical GOP pro- file gives her some open- ing. She touts her Methodist faith, and some of her argu- ments about Trump's tem- perament and his treatment of others are aimed broadly at moderate and even Re- publican voters who priori- tize their faith. POLITICS Candidates capitalize on the ever-powerful 'religious vote' By Matthew Perrone The Associated Press WASHINGTON The gov- ernment told all U.S. blood banks Friday to start screening for Zika, a ma- jor expansion intended to protect the nation's blood supply from the mosquito- borne virus. Previously, blood test- ing was mostly limited to parts of Florida and Puerto Rico, where there is local transmission. Screen- ing will initially extend to states along the Gulf Coast and a few others. "There is still much un- certainty regarding the nature and extent of Zika virus transmission," Dr. Peter Marks said in a Food and Drug Administration release. "At this time, the recommendation for test- ing the entire blood sup- ply will help ensure that safe blood is available for all individuals who might need transfusion." Blood banks already test donations for HIV, hepatitis, West Nile virus and other blood-borne vi- ruses. The Zika virus stays in the blood for about one week, but is thought to re- main in other bodily flu- ids longer. While Zika is primar- ily spread through mos- quito bites, there have been reports in Brazil of Zika transmission through blood transfusion. No such cases have been reported in the United States. One Zika-positive blood dona- tion, though, was recently intercepted in Florida, Marks disclosed Friday. "The donation was iden- tified while the blood bag was still in quarantine, before it was released," Marks told reporters. Zika can also be spread through sex, and Marks said that played into the decision to expand testing. Current evidence suggests that infected men can spread the virus for sev- eral months through sex, and women can transmit it for several weeks. HEALTH Zika screening expands to all US blood centers By Martin Crutsinger The Associated Press WASHINGTON Federal Re- serve Chair Janet Yellen said Friday that the case for raising interest rates has strengthened in light of a solid job market and an improved outlook for the U.S. economy and infla- tion. But she stopped short of offering any timetable. Yellen sketched a gener- ally upbeat assessment of the economy in a speech to an annual conference of central bankers in Jack- son Hole, Wyoming. She pointed to steady gains in employment and strength in consumer spending. She also noted that while inflation is still run- ning below the Fed's 2 per- cent target, it's being de- pressed mainly by tempo- rary factors. "In light of the contin- ued solid performance of the labor market and our outlook for economic ac- tivity and inflation," Yel- len said, "I believe the case for an increase (in the Fed's benchmark borrow- ing rate) has strengthened in recent months." Still Yellen declined to hint at whether the Fed might raise rates at its next policy meeting, Sept. 20-21, or at its subsequent meetings in early Novem- ber and mid-December. In- stead, she stressed, as she frequently has, that the Fed's rate decisions will depend on whether the freshest economic data continues to confirm its outlook. FEDERAL RESERVE Ye ll en s ug ge st s ra te h ik e coming; no timetable CAROLYNKASTER—THEASSOCIATEDPRESSFILE Hillary Clinton looks at Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, third from le , as she participates in a roundtable with Muslim community leaders at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. Sendyour"HiddenGem"entryviaemailtoeditor@redbluffdailynews.comorbymail c/o Hidden Gems, P.O Box 220, Red Bluff CA 96080 Your recommended must-see or must-do does not have to be in Tehama County, just within a 2-hour drive of Downtown Red Bluff. Tehama the Magazine's mission is to develop "pride in place" among of local residents, 2nd good reading for Tehama County visitors -- and potential visitors. It's the only regional magazine with guaranteed home delivery to 5,000 local homes as a supplement to The Daily News, plus 3000 copies for local distribution through September of 2017 in restaurants, Chambers of Commerce, hotels and visitor information centers, and publication as a special digital edition on www.redbluffdailynews for a full year, Tehama County's most visited local website with over 125,000 unique visitors monthly! Roger Brooks, from the Branding Project, recommended the marketing of Red Bluff as an ideal visitor's "Base Camp." You can be a part of this project! What's your favorite "hidden gem" that a visitor might not see driving on Main Street, I-5, Hwy 36 or 99E? • Museum? • Winery? • Fishing hole? • Park? • Mountain trail less traveled? October's Tehama the Magazine will again be an AdventureGuide for local residents and visitors! We'll highlight more places to visit, things to do and see allwithinabout2hoursofRedBluff. We'll award $50 Visa Gift Cards to the new TEN best "hidden gem" recommendations from the public, written in 50 words or less, and received by SEPT. 16, 2016.* * Suggestions for "hidden gems" that were featured in the Fall 2015 edition of Tehama the Magazine are not eligible to win. Check out last year's edition at http://tinyurl.com/gv8wsyn or pick up a copy at The Daily News, 728 Main Street, Red Bluff or at the Tehama Country Visitors Center. We're asking again! What's your favorite "hidden gem" in the great North State? | NEWS | REDBLUFFDAILYNEWS.COM SATURDAY, AUGUST 27, 2016 6 B