Democrats are desperate to hold onto a Flint, Michigan-based seat represented by Rep. Dan Kildee (D) after the district was redrawn following the decennial Census to be about 50% Republican, making it a toss-up race between Kildee and Republican Paul Junge. To rally urban Democrat turnout, the DNC Black Caucus and the Michigan Democratic Women’s Caucus on Wednesday held a “Flint GOTV Rally” at the Cathedral of Faith Church headlined by its Bishop Christopher E. Martin, Kildee, and Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI), according to a flier and video of the event.

Martin caused a furor in the Flint area in June after video showed Martin speaking with disgust about other preachers who he claimed are gay and were trying to spread the “spirit of perversion.” …

Martin’s comments were well-known in Flint, including being shared by Flint city council member Tonya Burns. When the bishop’s church got a contract with the city government related to health services, social justice advocate Nayyirah Shariff told officials that gay and transgender individuals were not likely to feel safe at any place connected to him. “Having a service in a location that is homophobic? That is not a safe space,” Shariff said, Flint Beat reported in June.