The spirited debate between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris showcased the stark differences between the two candidates, from immigration to abortion.

Columnist Billy Hallowell explores what happened during a tense exchange that kicked off when Mr. Trump said Democrats push “abortion in the ninth month.” See how Ms. Harris responded and get context on the broader debate here.

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On the electoral front, a Pew Research poll on the preferences of U.S. religious voters released this week found that 65% of Jewish respondents plan to vote for Vice President Kamala Harris, while 34% back former President Donald Trump. 

The support for Ms. Harris comes despite the rise of antisemitic activism on the left following the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attack on Israeli civilians, as well as questions about where her sympathies lie in the Gaza war.

Read more here.

‘Reagan’ film finds its audience

The new biopic “Reagan” is doing well at the box office despite some negative reviews from film critics. The movie achieved an A audience rating from CinemaScore.

Some believe film critics have a progressive bent, leading them to shower negativity on movies such as “Reagan.”

“This double standard often results in skewed, intellectually disingenuous reviews,” said James Carrick, founder of the film review website Worth It or Woke. “While imperfect, ’Reagan’ delivers exactly what its audience came for, and that’s why it’s connecting with moviegoers, even if critics can’t get past their preconceptions.” Read more here.

Pope finishes up long Asia tour

Washington Times reporter Emma Ayers sums up Pope Francis’ 12-day trip to Southeast Asia, which included stops in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, East Timor and Singapore.

Of note was his visit to East Timor, where about 600,000 Catholics — or half the island — attended the gathering. That is believed to have been the biggest turnout proportionally ever. Read more here.

Missouri’s pro-choice measure back on November ballot

The Missouri Supreme Court ruled that a pro-choice initiative may go before the voters in November. The ruling overturns a lower-court decision days earlier that had found the petition violated state law.

Thus, Amendment 3 will be on the Nov. 5 ballot, offering pro-choice activists a last-minute victory before the ballot-printing deadline. The effort seeks to enshrine abortion rights in Missouri’s constitution. It’s one of 10 states with a similar ballot this election cycle. 

Remembering 9/11

With the 23rd anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks unfolding Wednesday, Higher Ground contributor Lindsey Swindle wrote a powerful piece titled, “How 9/11 brought a nation to its knees in prayer,” a reflection on how the tragic terrorist attack impacted America.

“On Sept. 11, 2001, the world watched in horror as the United States faced one of the darkest days in its history,” Ms. Swindle writes. “But amid the chaos and devastation, something extraordinary happened — America came together, not just in grief, but in prayer.” Read more here.

Gold Star relative receiving death threats

Gold Star family member Christy Shamblin told Higher Ground she was caught in the crossfire after Vice President Kamala Harris took aim at former President Donald Trump. Ms. Harris, of course, blasted his recent appearance at Arlington National Cemetery.

Ms. Shamblin, whose daughter-in-law Marine Sgt. Nicole Gee was one of 13 service members killed in the botched 2021 Afghanistan withdrawal, said she began receiving death threats after Ms. Harris accused Mr. Trump of politicizing his attendance at the Aug. 26 memorial service. 

Watch her explain and read more about it.

The nation’s most religiously diverse county

Maryland’s most populous county is the nation’s most religiously diverse, a nonprofit research group has found.

Montgomery County enjoys the greatest mix of religions and denominations of any county in the country, according to 2023 data from the Public Religion Research Institute. Rounding out the institute’s top five: Kings and Nassau counties, New York; Montgomery County, Pennsylvania; and Contra Costa County, California.

Christians, Jews and Muslims account for the bulk of faiths practiced in Montgomery County, which also has high concentrations of Hindus, Buddhists and other minority religions, the institute reported.

In our opinion

Here are a few more of our opinion pieces you won’t want to miss:

• Jim Daly explains why your vote matters in 2024.

• Everett Piper offers parenting advice for those “who want to raise … kids to be responsible, moral human beings in a world that’s gone mad.”

• And John and Nisha Whitehead explain why they believe our rights have been usurped since 9/11.