(UNDATED) Naomi Gonzalez grew up poor in Chicago, bouncing among nine foster homes while her father served time in prison. The single mother of four believes Barack Obama understands her struggle. “He’s come from poverty, he comes from a single mother, he’s experienced racism,” said Gonzalez, 30, “A lot of us can relate to him.”…

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – On a recent Sunday, the Rev. Richard Mahan scrapped a sermon on forgiveness. He felt compelled instead to address the economic turmoil battering the nation. “Everybody’s facing hard times,” he told worshippers at St. Timothy Lutheran Church in Charleston. “If you’re not, you’re going to.” Include churches in that dismal forecast. With…

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (RNS) The hottest campaign in Michigan this fall features no candidate, but an embryo. In the fight over Proposal 2, advocates and opponents are spending millions to shape voter opinion on a proposal to loosen current restrictions on embryonic stem cell research in the state. In West Michigan, Amway co-founder Richard DeVos…

When she was director of religious outreach for John Kerry’s Democratic presidential campaign four years ago, Mara Vanderslice could hardly have seemed lower on the campaign totem pole. “I had one unpaid intern who didn’t have a phone,” she said. “We didn’t have a budget, and they never let me talk to the press.” Her…

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