Kathleen Gray

Detroit Free Press Lansing Bureau

In an effort to reach out to African-American voters, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump will make his first foray into black churches with a visit to Great Faith Ministries Church in Detroit on Saturday and tape an interview with Bishop Wayne T. Jackson.

Jackson told his parishioners of the visit and released a statement Monday that the 11 a.m. interview with Trump, which will be broadcast on his Impact Television Network, was neither a rally nor an endorsement.

"Media outlets throughout the country are seeking to get access to the presidential candidates, and we have been afforded that opportunity with Mr. Trump and (are) hopeful that we will get to interview Mrs. Clinton, as well," Jackson said in a statement, referring to Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. "The goal for this interview is to get real answers and Trump’s views and plans on policies that affect our community."

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Jackson said Trump will have an opportunity to outline his policies in front of the congregation and then sit for an on-air interview.

"We hope this invitation to both candidates will result in an opportunity to get clarity on some of the issues that have a particular impact on our community," Jackson said. "The 2016 presidential election is a determining factor on the direction of our country, and we want to make sure we are providing an opportunity for an informed electorate to make the best decision possible."

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Trump's campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway, told Fox News on Sunday that Trump planned meetings in inner-city churches throughout the rest of the campaign.

"We're fighting for every single vote. We're going to leave it all on the field. And that includes going where the voters are, and taking the case directly to them in their churches," she said.

The visit comes as Trump has been trying to attract black voters by asking, "What in the hell do you have to lose?" He's repeated the message at rallies in Michigan and around the country in the last week.

But courting and actually getting the African-American vote are two different things. The challenge for Trump — and other Republicans — is that African-American voters widely support Democrats. In 2008, Detroit gave its vote to Barack Obama by a 97%-3% margin over Sen. John McCain. In 2012, the vote was 98% for Obama to 2% for Mitt Romney. There were dozens of polling precincts — mostly in Detroit — where not a single vote was cast for Romney in 2012.

Rev. W.J. Rideout III, Pastor of All God's People Church in Detroit, said he'll lead a protest at the church against Trump. He isn't upset with Jackson opening his church and TV network to Trump, adding, "That's business. But I don't want him to think that he can come in here and get our votes."

"Donald Trump is an opportunist, and this guy will reach out to get a vote from the worst fish in the sea. He doesn’t care if he gets a vote from a rock. He just wants to get into the White House," Rideout said. "He’s outsourcing jobs overseas. Yet you’re talking about making American great again."

But Pastor Mark Burns, a supporter of Trump who spoke at the Republican National Convention and met with the New York businessman last week, said, "Mr. Trump will answer questions that are relevant to the African-American community, such as education, unemployment, making our streets safe and creating better opportunities for all. He will then give an address to outline policies that will impact minorities and the disenfranchised in our country."

The visit would be Trump's third to Michigan since the Republican National Convention. He gave a speech on the economy to the Detroit Economic Club this month and was in Dimondale last week.Clinton gave a jobs and economy speech in Warren and attended a fund-raiser in Birmingham this month. She also spoke at the NAACP's Fight for Freedom dinner in Detroit in May and made stops at Detroit churches before the March 8 presidential primary in Michigan.

Contact Kathleen Gray: kgray99@freepress.com or on Twitter @michpoligal