Moms for Liberty emerges as a force in the 2024 US presidential election

Top rivals for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination on Friday addressed the national conference of Moms for Liberty, appealing to the conservative parents-rights advocacy group with vows to bolster education and keep discussion of gender identity out of the classroom.

"Don't mess with America's moms," former President Donald Trump told the crowd in Philadelphia, calling the group a "grassroots juggernaut."

The appearance of Trump and rivals Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley at the summit served as a testament to the weight their campaigns are placing on race- and gender-based cultural issues related to education heading into next year’s nominating contests.