Sen. Tim Kaine reached out to religious voters in Utah on Tuesday, by vowing to carry the lessons he learned and values he taught as a Jesuit missionary in Honduras decades ago into the White House if he and Hillary Clinton win the November election.
“One of the most profound lessons of Christian missionary service is that your mission really never ends. The calling to spread faith and help others lasts a lifetime,” the Virginia Democrat wrote in a Tuesday op-ed for Utah’s Deseret News. Kaine is a Catholic whose position on abortion has put him at odds with church teachings.
“When I left Honduras, it was with the vow that I would not forget what I had seen and learned,” he wrote. “The most powerful lesson was that selfless leadership glorifies and protects others. Hillary Clinton and I will carry that lesson to the highest offices of our nation.”
“My time in Honduras became my North Star, a crucible of my values. It has influenced everything I’ve done in public life since: as a civil rights lawyer, city councilman, mayor, lieutenant governor, governor, and now, a senator,” he added.
The Clinton campaign has struggled to make headway in the traditionally red state of Utah, and recent polls suggest she is a few points behind Donald Trump, and tied with Evan McMullin, an independent candidate. But Kaine used his op-ed to compare his own experiences to those of Mormon missionaries, a direct appeal to the typically conservative members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who make up the majority of the state’s residents.
“What I learned in Honduras can be summarized in three words: ‘Fe, familia y trabajo’ — faith, family and work. Today, I recognize selfless leadership in all corners of our nation, by people in all kinds of clothing, and of all skin colors, religions and incomes. And I take courage in the fact that men and women from all backgrounds still come together in good faith to address the challenges we face,” wrote the Spanish-speaking Kaine. “Around the country (and the United States Senate), I’ve seen members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints live those values.”
