Story highlights Donald Trump asked Christian conservatives to raise their hands

Council Bluffs, Iowa (CNN) Donald Trump, touting the support he's received from evangelicals in this battleground state, called on his supporters at a rally here to identify themselves as "Christian conservatives."

Then, he asked those who aren't to raise their hands and jokingly questioned whether he should "keep them in the room."

"Raise your hand, Christian conservatives everybody," Trump said, drawing a smattering of cheers and raised arms.

And then, he added: "Raise your hand if you're not a Christian conservative, I want to see this, right. That's -- oh, there's a couple, but that's all right. I think we'll keep them right? Should we keep them in the room, yes? I think so."

Trump's comment raised some eyebrows given that his rhetoric on the campaign trail is frequently nationalistic, and his policies have emphasized giving a more powerful voice to Christian Americans while railing against illegal immigrants and calling for banning individuals from many Muslim countries.

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