Kaine writes op-ed in Utah newspaper focused on mission work

Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine are making a play for Utah, and their newest outreach involves an emphasis on faith.

On Tuesday, Kaine wrote an op-ed for the Deseret News — which is owned by the Mormon church — focused on his own faith and time as a volunteer on a mission trip in Honduras. Utah has a large Mormon population.

“They say that nobody comes back from serving a mission the same person, and that was certainly true of me. My time in Honduras became my North Star, a crucible of my values. It has influenced everything I’ve done in public life since: as a civil rights lawyer, city councilman, mayor, lieutenant governor, governor, and now, a senator.

What I learned in Honduras can be summarized in three words: Fe, familia y trabajo — faith, family and work. Today, I recognize selfless leadership in all corners of our nation, by people in all kinds of clothing, and of all skin colors, religions and incomes. And I take courage in the fact that men and women from all backgrounds still come together in good faith to address the challenges we face.”

Kaine is a practicing Catholic and often talks about his religion and time as a missionary.

In 2012, former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, a Mormon who has denounced Donald Trump, won more than 70% of the vote in the state. But in 2016, polls show a tight race.

Part of the reason the race is so close is the presence of little-known former congressional aide  Evan McMullin, who is running as an independent. McMullin is backed by 25% of voters in Utah, according to the latest rolling average of polls from RealClearPolitics, which puts him even with Clinton and around 6 points behind Trump.