Vance and Georgia Gov. Kemp project Republican unity at evangelical event after Trump tensions

ATLANTA (AP) — A leading conservative Christian group put on a show of Republican unity Monday, cementing the new détente between Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and GOP nominee Donald Trump while vice presidential nominee JD Vance tried to smooth over differences on abortion policy across the evangelical community ahead of Election Day.

The Faith & Freedom Coalition, led by longtime evangelical political powerhouse Ralph Reed, brought Vance and Kemp to the same stage with a shared focus: advocating for Trump, criticizing Democratic nominee Kamala Harris and ignoring several years of tension stemming from Trump’s attacks on Kemp for his refusal to help overturn Trump's 2020 defeat. Trump's efforts to undo the election results led to criminal charges against him in the state.

“We have to expand our majority in Congress, take back control of the U.S. Senate and send Donald Trump back to the White House,” Kemp told a full ballroom of evangelical political activists and donors.

Vance, for his part, praised Kemp as “incredible, patriotic and very effective,” and added praise for Kemp’s wife, Marty — a far cry from Trump's using social media posts and an Atlanta rally in August to accuse the governor of “fighting Unity and the Republican Party” and criticizing Georgia’s first lady for saying she planned to write in her husband’s name on her presidential ballot.

Kemp and Vance also met backstage during the event.

The Faith & Freedom dinner follows another private meeting between Vance and Kemp that was brokered recently by South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham and aimed at ending public hostilities. Republicans have feared the discord will help Harris keep Georgia in the Democratic column four years after Biden won the state by a mere 11,779 votes out of 5 million cast.

Reed, who became a national Republican player decades ago from his home base in Georgia, said the scene Monday demonstrates a GOP front that is intent on victory.

“We’ve moved on. He’s moved on,” Reed said of Trump and his false claims that the 2020 election was rigged. In fact, Trump still repeats those claims regularly, though the former president over the past month has stopped including Kemp in his list of figures he holds responsible for his defeat.

In addition to praising Kemp, Vance sought Monday to remind his audience of Trump's role in the Supreme Court's 2022 decision that ended the constitutional right to an abortion, a goal of the conservative evangelical movement for nearly a half-century.

“We are united in our gratitude and our admiration for these devoted defenders of the unborn and for the judges, justices, and especially President Trump, who is committed to defending the law and the Constitution allowed this breakthrough after over 50 years,” Vance said, celebrating that abortion regulation is now back in control of state governments.

The Ohio senator did not mention any dissension over abortion among conservatives who still want a national ban on abortion access. Trump does not explicitly support a national ban and saw to it that the 2024 Republican platform would not include such a proposal for the first time in decades. Trump has argued that conservatives should concentrate their energies on state governments and not make a national ban a central part of the presidential election.

A solid majority of Americans oppose a federal abortion ban, according to a June 2024 poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

Vance promised a second Trump administration would pursue policies that help would-be mothers and new mothers, such as investments in job training, education and child care.

“The Republican Party is proud to be a pro-life and a pro-family party,” Vance said. “We believe that human life is precious and every life is worthy of protection, because we believe that every child, born and unborn, is created in the image of God.”

For his part, Reed told The Associated Press in an interview that he sees no evidence that Trump's position will cost him support among self-identified evangelical voters. And Reed said the Republican platform still contains language that would effectively extend the 14th Amendment's equal protection clause to fetuses, effectively legally recognizing them as persons entitled to due process protections.

That, Reed argued, “gives them the full force of the federal government to protect their life and their liberty, and that's all we needed.” So, he continued, Trump's 2024 platform actually gives conservatives a roadmap to outlaw abortion through constitutional law established by some future U.S. Supreme Court ruling based on the 14th Amendment, rather than through congressional action or a constitutional amendment that Reed said would never be adopted.

Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, speaks during the Georgia Faith and Freedom Coalition's dinner at the Cobb Galleria Centre, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, speaks during the Georgia Faith and Freedom Coalition's dinner at the Cobb Galleria Centre, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, speaks during the Georgia Faith and Freedom Coalition's dinner at the Cobb Galleria Centre, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, speaks during the Georgia Faith and Freedom Coalition's dinner at the Cobb Galleria Centre, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, speaks during the Georgia Faith and Freedom Coalition's dinner at the Cobb Galleria Centre, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, speaks during the Georgia Faith and Freedom Coalition's dinner at the Cobb Galleria Centre, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp speaks during the Georgia Faith and Freedom Coalition's dinner at the Cobb Galleria Centre, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, speaks during the Georgia Faith and Freedom Coalition's dinner at the Cobb Galleria Centre, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

There are few guarantees in fantasy football, but these players are as close as you’ll get to a sure thing in Week 7 of the NFL season.

Start: Baker Mayfield, Buccaneers vs Ravens

Mayfield is second in QB fantasy points on the season, yet somehow there are 13 signal-callers who are more widely owned in fantasy going into Week 7. Maybe that will change after this Sunday, when Mayfield could post elite fantasy numbers, whether the Buccaneers win or lose. Mayfield is averaging almost 24 fantasy points a game over the season, and this week he’ll face a Ravens team that is a top-five matchup for opposing QBs. The Ravens are also a bottom-five matchup for opposing RBs, so the Bucs will need to attack them through the air.

Other locks:

—Jalen Hurts vs Giants

—Andy Dalton at Commanders

—Jayden Daniels at Panthers

—Jordan Love vs Texans

Avoid: Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs at 49ers

Mahomes is relying on name recognition to stay relevant in fantasy this season, as he’s just QB24 on the season. Averaging fewer than 14 fantasy points per game in 2024, Mahomes will face a 49ers team that isn’t the juggernaut it’s been in the past but still manages to give teams fits. Minus what would have been his No. 1 WR in Rashee Rice, Mahomes will rely on a short passing game and his running backs.

Start: Chuba Hubbard, Panthers at Commanders

Hubbard is off to a strong start. He didn't score in Week 6 as he had in the three previous games, but he still topped 100 all-purpose yards against a stout Falcons defensive front. It could be much easier this week when the Panthers will go up against a Commanders team that’s a top-10 matchup for opposing running backs.

Other locks:

—Tony Pollard at Bills

—Joe Mixon at Packers

—JK Dobbins at Cardinals

—Bijan Robinson vs Seahawks

Avoid: Josh Jacobs, Packers vs Texans

Jacobs is one of the least efficient backs in the league, and what’s worse is that the rest of the Packers offense is so potent. Jordan Love and company have a strong passing game. Jacobs gets ample carries, but Emanuel Wilson is eating into his workload with close to double-digit touches in Week 6. In an unenviable matchup with Houston’s top-10 run defense in Week 7, Jacobs could underwhelm.

Start: Tank Dell, Texans at Packers

Dell is finally getting loose, now that he’s healthy and Nico Collins is out for the time being. In Week 6, Dell led the team in targets (nine), picking up 57 yards and a score against a middling Patriots secondary. His outlook is even better this week, as Dell will face Green Bay. They’re a top-10 matchup for opposing WRs, and Dell is primed to take advantage.

Other locks:

—DeVonta Smith at Giants

—Jordan Addison vs Lions

—Zay Flowers at Buccaneers

—Diontae Johnson at Commanders

Avoid: Brandon Aiyuk, Chiefs vs 49ers

Aiyuk had 147 yards in Week 5, before a quiet Week 6. He only managed two catches for 37 yards last week against Seattle, and his matchup in Week 7 is even worse, as he’ll face the Chiefs vaunted secondary. With only one game of more than 50 yards so far this season, avoid Aiyuk in this tough matchup.

Start: Evan Engram, Jaguars vs Patriots

Engram is back and playing spectacularly, catching all 10 of his team-leading targets in Week 6 for 102 yards against the Bears. No worse for wear after missing four games with a hamstring injury, Engram could continue to roll this week against the Patriots.

Other locks:

—Cade Otton vs Ravens

—Dalton Schultz at Packers

—Kyle Pitts vs Seahawks

—Trey McBride vs Chargers

Avoid: Tucker Kraft, Packers vs Texans

Kraft has rendered Luke Musgrave obsolete in the Packers offense, with big games in Weeks 4 and 5. Going over 130 total yards and catching three combined TDs, Kraft cooled off considerably in Week 6, when Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs returned to the lineup. Kraft is the fourth option at best when the Packers WRs are healthy, and he’s likely to be bottled up by Houston’s strong TE defense in Week 7.

This column was provided to The Associated Press by RosterWatch, www.rosterwatch.com.

Houston Texans wide receiver Tank Dell holds onto his touchdown reception in the endzone against New England Patriots cornerback Jonathan Jones (31) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard (30) runs the ball against Atlanta Falcons safety Justin Simmons (31) in the first half of an NFL football game in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Rusty Jones)

Fantasy plays: Players to start and sit for NFL Week 7

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) celebrates as he leaves the field following an NFL football game against New Orleans Saints in New Orleans, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Fantasy plays: Players to start and sit for NFL Week 7