Donald Trump Goes to Church With a Just Over a Week to Go in Iowa

MUSCATINE, Iowa— -- Republican presidential front runner Donald Trump made a stop at a local church today for the first time in Iowa, just over a week before the state holds it caucuses.

A Presbyterian, Trump attended First Presbyterian Church in Muscatine, with a woman whose son died son just after a tour of duty overseas in 2012. Since her loss, Deborah Whitaker has dedicated her life to helping other families who lose veterans.

As he entered the church, Trump was asked what his Presbyterian faith meant to him, responding: "A lot."

He greeted parishioners, shook hands as a sign of peace during services and sang "God is here!"

A young girl read scripture during Trump's visit, after which the candidate reached over to shake her hand.

Trump has named the Bible as his favorite book, but at times struggled to cite scripture, declining to name a particular verse he found meaningful to Bloomberg in August. In an interview with The Brody File last September, he expressed a preference for "Proverbs, the chapter 'never bend to envy.'" His campaign clarified to The Brody file that he was referring to Proverbs 24:1-2.

Trump is one of four of the major 2016 presidential candidates who spoke at Liberty University, the evangelical university founded by Jerry Falwell: GOP rival Ted Cruz launched his campaign there last spring, while Democratic challenger Bernie Sanders addressed the convocation last fall. Jeb Bush delivered the commencement address in May.

Trump will be campaigning later today in Muscatine, and with just over a week to go until the Iowa Caucus, the real estate mogul will return to the Hawkeye state again on Tuesday.