Story highlights "The GOP is the party of Abraham Lincoln," Trump said

The call continued an effort in recent days by Trump to appeal to black voters

Fredericksburg, Virginia (CNN) Donald Trump acknowledged Saturday that the Republican Party "must do better" in appealing to African-Americans.

But in the same speech here, he again slammed an order by the state's Democratic governor, Terry McAuliffe, to restore voting rights to some convicted felons who have completed their sentences, a move McAuliffe says could help African-Americans who were disproportionally affected by laws that put lifetime bans on felons.

"The GOP is the party of Abraham Lincoln," Trump said. "I want our party to be the home of the African-American voter once again."

He continued: "I've asked the African-American community to honor me with their vote," adding that he "fully recognize(s) the outreach to the African-American community is an area where the Republican Party must do better."

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