Religion and Election 2008
Pat Robertson has endorsed Rudy Giuliani, and the Pew Forum reports that he is not the only white evangelical Protestant to do so.
The Pew Forum conducted a survey to find out which candidates certain religious groups prefer. They surveyed Republicans and Democrats separately, dividing the data by the parties’ key religious constituents.
Giuliani garnered more support from white Catholics and white mainline Protestants than from white evangelicals, but 23% of white evangelicals still named him their top choice. Thanks to Catholics, who preferred him over the other candidates two-to-one, 32% of Republicans and Republican-leaning voters supported Giuliani.
Fred Thompson got almost equal support from white evangelicals (24%), and John McCain got slightly less (19%). Mike Huckabee and Mitt Romney (rated the most religious candidate in another Pew survey) divided the bulk of the remaining evangelical vote, with Huckabee scoring 10% and Romney pulling in 9%.
On the Democratic side, Hillary Clinton won a plurality of the vote in all religious groups, making her the frontrunner with 44% of the vote. Religion and race divided Barack Obama and John Edwards voters, with Obama getting twice as many votes from black Protestants as white Catholics. Edwards got only 5% of the black Protestant vote and among white Catholics, did just a little better than Obama.
In another survey, the Pew Forum found that religion isn’t proving to be a “clear-cut positive” in the presidential election. Voters still give lip service to the American civil religion, with 69% saying it’s important for a president to have strong religious beliefs and 61% saying they’d be less likely to vote for an atheist. But voters view both frontrunners – Hillary Clinton and Giuliani – as the least religious of the candidates. They aren’t voting for the candidate they see as most religious – Mitt Romney, a Mormon.














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back to top31 Comments to “Religion and Election 2008”
I read that 58% of evangelicals polled said their venture into politics has hurt the image of Christ in America.
40% said they should sit out of politics for two years at least. I saw this on Fox last night (either Fox or CNN – but I thought it was Combs from Hannilty and Combs).
I believe the country would be better governed if the occult were kept out of it all together and we delt with problems throught thought and action, not prayer.
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If it was from the liberal side of H&C it was NOT from FOX, Donato. Liberals love to spout off statistics from sources such as the NYT that are about as legitimate as Billy Carter’s half-sister three times removed.
I got to talk with Rudy this morning when he stopped in Dubuque for a campaign appearance. I think we can trust him, because as he told us this morning we need to focus on issues such as the War on Terror that trump all the secondary issues.
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If it comes down to voting for Rudy who understands the War on Terror and your average democrat who believes that all it takes to pacify the Islamic fascists is a little more understanding, compassion and dialogue – Rudy will get the evangelical vote.
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We Evangelicals are not thrilled with Rudy’s marriage life or position on abortion. Most of us understand, however, that the only control a president has over the abortion issue is his appointments to the Supreme Court. Giuliani has pledged to appoint Supreme Court nominees in the tradition of Scalia, Thomas, Roberts, and Alito. Personally I trust him on this.
RDean’s risible position that the occult (Christians) should stay out of politics is pitiable though amusing. We favor separation of church and state but are smart enough to avoid liberal-left candidates, even those who pretend to be religious.
Personally, I favor Romney, though I would gladly settle for Giuliani, as my gut feeling is that his strong stance on security and economic issues will defeat Hillary Clinton’s vacillating stance.
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I’m tired of those who are jumping ahead of the nomination process right to the general election. I want to vote for somebody, not against somebody.
If Guiliani wins the nomination, and I don’t think he will I’m not sure I will vote for him. I certainly could not campaign for him. I would have to hold my nose to vote for him. I don’t want to do that.
I’m favoring Mike Huckabee. I think he is the real deal. I believe that evangelicals need to put principles ahead of pragmatism. If you have watched him debate do you really believe Hillary stands a chance against him one on one? He is likeable. He has great experience. He has a solid social conservative record. He is in favor of the fair tax & against pork which should satisfy fiscal conservatives & pro-business people. Are evangelicals not for him because he isn’t supported by the Club for Growth? Since when did they become the evangelical standard bearer? And since when do we put pro-business & fiscal conservatism before evangelical values?
Who says that Guiliani would do better than Hucakbee in the War on Terror? I think a lot of people are jumping the gun in this nomination process.
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I want a President with GOOD Character. Hillary’s scares me! Rudy’s is questionable, like Bill Clinton’s. Lead by example!!
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I don’t think ANYONE is saying that Guliani would do better than Huckabee on the War on Terror, Shane, if we’re simply talking about resolve.
The real difference between Huckabee and Guliani, however, is the electability factor. If Huckabee could come along in the polls between now and January 3, as a fellow social conservative I would gladly support him.
However, as a realist I would have to say that Guliani (at this point) has a much better chance of defeating Hillary than any of the so-called second-tier candidates.
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Well, the survey is interesting. We’ll see how accurate it is come primary day.
I want everyone to vote, irregardless of what party, religion, etc. they belong to. I trust the judgment of the American people, even when they decide on someone I didn’t vote for.
Last night I was watching a few minutes of a Garth Brooks concert on TV, and I thought to myself: those people who are at that concert represent the real America. The hard working people who’s lives are not easy, who shop at Wal-Mart, who are sitting with 10 other parents cheering for their kid at Little League, who go to church each Sunday, who splurged for tickets just to see their favorite country singer.
How those people vote will determine who our next president is. Sometimes they vote for a Democrat and sometimes they vote for a Republican. I suspect this time they will vote for a Democrat. But it’s not for sure. A lot can happen. Stay tuned.
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The main strike against the Huckster is his ridiculous views on science. How can you expect someone who believes science is a religion to be taken seriously? And as the leader of the most technologically advanced nation in the world he would take us back to the dark ages.
Rudy? He will torn apart with his cross-dressing.
#4: First you say for religion to stay out of politics is, “pitiable though amusing”, and then you have the gall to say, “We favor separation of church and state”. Sorry, you sound like Mitt Romney.
No more mysticism in American politics. We need real answers to real problems. The “supernatural” will not help us now.
Considering how much “God” has done in the last, oh, forever, what do you expect him to do now????
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I do not want everyone voting, Anlir, and neither did the Founding Fathers (who put regulations on those who should vote).
Why do you think any old concert-goer knows what’s best for our nation . . . although I would bet most Garth fans would vote Republican next fall, thank you very much.
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I never put too much stock in polls, after all, they didn’t ask me. However, I’m saddened that they found some who call themselves christians who would vote for someone who supports the murder of 4,000 Americans every day, like Rudy. Even Al-Quaida doesn’t come close to killing that many, so Guiliani is weak on terror. I wouldn’t vote for him even if he offered me a million dollars to so.
I’ll be voting for Ron Paul, although Huckabee doesn’t sound too bad for a former governor. If Guiliani won the Primary, I’d vote for Joe Schriner, a liberal going for the Green Party nomination, but who nevertheless would do everything in his power to prevent all child murders.
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So Joannab, you would rather cast half a vote for Hillary Clinton (who promises to nominate SCOTUS judges who would support the judgement of Roe v. Wade) rather than voting for Rudy (who promises to nominate justices who would vote along the lines of Roberts, Scalia, etc.)?
Thanks, but no thanks.
If the majority of evangelicals think like you think, the lives of unborn children are screwed.
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Anlir, that concert audience is a great metaphor. They are this era’s “Silent Americans” of whom Nixon spoke of.
Donald Wildmon endorsed Huckabee.
I think it is important for us all to stress that these men make these endorsemts as private citizens. Presumably they issued the press release on personal stationery and held press conferences at their homes and not at their church/ministry offices.
The LBJ Pastor Muzzle law is still quite pernicious.
I cant speak for anyone but me, but if any minister used the precious scant minutes he has on Sundays to endorse any candidates it would make me reconsider being a member of that church.
That said, I have no problem with those mainly conservative “voter’s guides” being in the church foyer where you can if you choose pick one up on your way out. (It’s not as if the church is using church postage to mail those out to members). Still not sure why nonconservative Christian groups (Sojourners, etc) dont rate and issue candidate “report cards” on various issues which might be important to Christians in the ballot box.
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#11: who call themselves christians who would vote for someone who supports the murder of 4,000 Americans every day
And yet, this president, who is against abortion, signs legislation to keep health insurance from children, but finds billions to kill people in other countries. Have you written him?
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Cont’d from above..
In Austin Texas a group formed called Texas Freedom Network. There was at one time a splinter offshoot called the Texas FAITH Network. Both TFN’s ostensibly formed to counterbalance the big power the religious right had in Texas.
I applaud them both. Too often it seems the lib groups react with “They ought not be allowed to (publish candidate report cards/voting records) et”
No one has ever suggested that it was wrong, illegal whatever to publicize how candidates/office holders view issue X or voted on bill Y. I wish more groups would publish and distribute voting guides. I’ve never seen one by either of the TFN groups, but I have heard candidate ads boast how Congressman Snort was rated 99% by NRA, ACLU, AFLCIO etc. Never once do you get to learn why they gave such a high or low grade.
I suspect those voters’ guides in church foyers are now banned by McCainFeingold, no??
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I read the Osmond family paterfamilias has now passed on and is somewhere far away in another universe now as a new God.
Pity he died just before he could issue an endorsemt.
Wouldnt it be the ultimate slap in the face if the current Mormon prophet were to NOT endorse Mitt Romney?? It might actually help Mitt though. I’ve been told that despite what we might want to believe, the LDS’ers in Utah are by and large D voters (at least at the statehouse level)
Can anyone confirm that??
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Speaking of Giuliani, you can’t make stuff like this up:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071109/ap_on_re_us/kerik_investigation
In my non-existent Latin:
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
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outkast post 10,
of course our founding fathers generally wanted only landowners to vote, and then only for their representatives, not for their senator and not for president or vice-president.
We still don’t vote directly for president.
So your comment:
“I do not want everyone voting, Anlir, and neither did the Founding Fathers (who put regulations on those who should vote).”
captures an amazingly dense number of truths regarding how our founding fathers actualy felt about democracy.
I believe, especially given what appears to have been enthusiasm for the 17th ammendment in 1913, that most people i the United States are gald that voting has been extended to make the United States relatively democratic in our elections.
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At the risk of sounding repetitive. Primaries arer for voting your conscience. General elections are for voting your reasonable compromise. This election is still shaping up. Rudy vs. Hillary is not a done deal. We can cross that bridge when we get to it.
Conservatives have a couple of good choices in the primaries. No Republican can win without the conservative vote. No Republican can win big with it. Conservatives will probably dictate the outcome of this election. Sitting out is not an option. Hillary (for conservatives) is not an option. Rudy (for many conservatives) is not an option, regardless of who endorses him.
Let’s pay attention to the primaries and worry about November starting in April.
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I think a conservative can support Giuliani and still vote their conscience.
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Outkast,

You’re from Iowa?
You can probably provide a better inside view of the candidates than most of us..
That’s kind of not fair…but it’s worked for this long,so….I guess I’m kinda jealous.
#9
Donato
No, the main strike against Huckabee is his liberal positions on spending, and illegal immigration. And the fear that he would go along with something resembling Hillary-care…which he woould. He was the only candidate who refused to denounce the expansion of the SCHIP program.
And
#10
I’d also prefer it if most of the people I meet day to day didn’t vote.
#11
“I’ll be voting for Ron Paul, although Huckabee doesn’t sound too bad ”
That’s like saying, I really like that Pat Buchanon guy, but that Dennis Kucinich fellow makes a lot of sense, too.
#14
“And yet, this president, who is against abortion, signs legislation to keep health insurance from children”
No this president is trying to preserve the quality of our health care system. He realizes (incredibly) that that stupid legislation was just the first step into turning our health care system in to something resembling the UK, or Canada trainwreck of a healthcare system.
I am going to vote for Fred Thompson in the primaries, (unless Duncan Hunter makes a better than expected showing in the early primary states)
If Rudi ends up with the nom, I will be happy to pull the lever for him.
(As any pro-life advocate should)
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Mr. Meaner: Yeah, it’s great being here in Iowa. I get to meet all the candidates and chat with them one-on-one. McCain got his endorsement from Pat Robertson here in Dubuque this past week. Giuliani was here Thursday morning, and seven Democrat candidates will be here at our Grand River Center Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.
Dubuque is a very blue collar, union, Democrat stronghold, so it’s sometimes discouraging for a member of the GOP who would like to have good representation. But where else in the nation can you get to meet so many candidates?
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Dear Outkast,
In regards to #12, by refusing to vote for Giuliani, I won’t be casting a half-vote for Hillary. Whoever votes for a supporter of child mureder such as Hillary, will have to answer to God for that sin. Likewise, whoever votes for a supporter of child murder such as Giuliani will have to answer to God for that sin also. If Giuliani wins in November of 2008, it will be a loss for life and liberty.
If Hitler and Stalin were running for President against each other, would you vote for Hitler because he killed fewer millions than Stalin? I’m sure you wouldn’t say that by not voting for Hitler, I’d be casting a half-vote for Stalin.
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JOANNEB -
I don’t think we’re quite at the Hitler/Stalin stage yet. We still have the right(and responsibility) to vote which they weren’t allowing. It would be a sin to not vote in our context given that we still can. If it turns out that the next President neglects his(her) responsibilities we even have the potential of impeachment through our representatives. This was never the case in Germany or Russia while Hitler and Stalin were in power. All it takes for someone like Hitler or Stalin to come to power is for good men to do nothing.
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Thanks Dick F. Good points.
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Mr. Meaner: I just found out that tomorrow (Monday) morning I’ll be about six feet away from Hillary due to a photo shoot. Any questions you’d care for me to ask?
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As it states in His Word, God will raise up who will be the next POTUS. He will not be surprised by the election results. I hope Huckabee wins the nomination so I can vote for a conservative Christian brother. Zip
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zippy post 27,
the Bible talks about the United States of America and the President of the United States?
References please. Thanks!
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Outkast
Thats a good one. My question probably wouldn’t get you any media coverage…Lemme think…
Hmmm.
I’d say
“why, do you think, you have such a disproportionate amount of campaign contributions coming from down-trodden Chinese neighborhoods in New York
http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-donors19oct19,0,4231217.story
And why are you keeping $260,000 raised by Norman Hsu.
http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-clinton17oct17,0,2244470.story?coll=la-home-center
And did Hsu’s suicide attempt stem from his fear of being caught in a criminal activity relating to your fund-raising?
And don’t you think that this is going to remind Americans of your husband’s dealings with Charlie Trie?
Of course you may want to bring some garlic, silver bullets, and a crucifix.
And a wooden stake…just in case.
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Thanks Mr Meaner. Unfortunately, Hillary’s people wouldn’t allow the media to ask ANY questions yesterday. They allowed only six prearranged questions, and all were from UAW members (I could tell from the logos on their jackets).
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#30: They allowed only six prearranged questions
You think they were taking a page from the Presidential Advance Manual????
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