Americans who attend church once or twice a month have become a sought after “swing vote” — and they are swinging to Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama in the run-up to the Nov 4. presidential election.
That is one of the key findings of a new survey conducted by Public Religion Research on behalf of Faith in Public Life, a non-partisan resource center.
It found that, based on religious service attendance, the biggest shift in candidate preferences between 2004 and 2008 was among those who went once or twice a month. Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry got 49 percent of their vote in 2004 while Obama is now pulling 60 percent.
But in a reflection of the 2004 race, Obama’s Republican rival John McCain “maintains a significant advantage among voters who attend more frequently, while Obama has a nearly identical advantage over McCain among those who attend less than a few times a month or never,” the survey says.
Among those who attend religious services more than twice a week, the survey found McCain leads Obama 60 percent to 34 percent. Kerry in 2004 garnered 35 percent of that vote.
McCain also maintains a significant lead with white evangelical Protestants, a key Republican base which helped propel President George W. Bush to power. This base has been energized by McCain’s selection of staunch conservative Christian Sarah Palin as his running mate and the Arizona senator leads Obama among them by 68 to 25 percent.
Among younger white evangelicals between the ages of 18 and 34 that narrows to 65 to 29 percent — a finding in keeping with other polls on the subject. This suggests Obama has made some inroads into the evangelical political monolith though his gains have been minimal despite an extensive faith outreach program.
The survey also found that 49 percent of Americans think Obama is friendly to religion and 45 percent think McCain is friendly to religion — numbers that both candidates may find discouraging since neither chalks up a majority on that score.
The survey includes a national sample of 2,000 adults including an oversample of 974 respondents aged 18 to 34. It was conducted from Aug 28 to Sept 19, so it was obviously before the second televized presidential debate. The margin of error for the broader survey is +/- 2.5 percent and for the younger group it is +/- three percent.
(Photo Credit: REUTERS/Jim Bourg, Sept 27, 2008, USA. Combination images of the presidential candidates)
Trackback
29 comments so far
Previous | 2 | 1 | Next
What most people fail to comprehend is that God will judge those who go against the holy word in the bible. We can not obscure His word for our own purpose or to suit our needs and still say we are Christian. So those of you who think its ok to abort an innocent child or that homosexual marriages are ok you will face judgement. Yes as Christian’s we need to look at the overall picture at the situations such as poverty, and the like but we can not turn away from God’s word. If most people would realize that our econmic statis has to do with poor management of these companies by their greedy CEO’s who should bare the responsiblities for the failure. Instead they are rewarded with buy outs or compensation packages that are outragously high for failing, what would they get if they were successful? I don’t even want to imagine it. As a whole our country have turned our backs on God and do whatever we want and think that we will be foregiven because of Christ blood. Well you all are sadly mistaken because going against the Word and continuing to live a sinfull life you will reap what you sow! Not my words but the words from the Holy Bible! Neither of the choices for presidential canidates are a great pick! But I would want someone who isn’t going to allow the degradiation of the morals of our country! so vote Ralph Nader!
- Posted by Tom HartNot every American is a Christian. As a non-Christian I could give a rats arse what God or Jesus had to say in the bible.
As a non-Muslim, I could give a rat’s arse about what Mohammed has to say.
As an Atheist, I give a rat’s arse about anyones religious dogma or their religious morals.
I care only about the future of my country and my children.
Obama is the man to secure that future, not McCain.
- Posted by DaveWould Jesus support universal heal care?
- Posted by PhilJudeo-Christian principle’s(the basis of the formation &
- Posted by philrise of America) which is based on the spirit of Freedom
should not be confused with Christian Doctrine(having it’s origin to the colonial past & mired with politics , which was rejected by George Washington).
Unfortunately the Angilicans do represent that doctrine & it is influencing the Americian life. Christianity can be seen at its best in community services & works related to support & lifting the downtrodden & ordinary & is worst seen when it comes to politics. This is the difference between Christian Principles & Christian Doctrine. George Washington sure was no fool & so do I feel of Obama.
This is not the time to mix politics with religion, but definitely IS the time to use a bit of faith and intelligence.
It is obvious to me that McCain and his joke of a neo-VP would be the presidential team from hell.
If America wants to go to hell in a basket then simply vote for McCain.
If it wants to save itself from hell, vote for Obama!
- Posted by TheTruthIs...I attend church every Sunday, most Wednesdays, Bible study Tuesday and Wedenseday morning, read my Scripture of the day, do I have to go on and does that make me super-religious. I do these things because they help me be more and more like my Lord and Savior, not to impress anyone or to assert any religious authority. (I am sick at heart hearing Christians say no Christian could ever vote for -insert candidate name.) I will be voting for Sen. Obama because I think he will be best for our country and his policies, in my opinion, carry forward the teachings of Scripture more than Sen. McCain’s. I do not condemn anyone who thinks otherwise. I try hard to have my faith influence how I think a secular government should behave, I pray for the government, and I trust God is always in control. I do not need to call names or add hate languange to a world already too filled with hate.
- Posted by Jack MorrisWould Jesus talk to terrorists?
- Posted by PhilObama doesnt care about the poor. What exaclty has he done for them? What has he done for them as Senator of the great state of Illinois? What did he do for the Chicago public schools when he was supposed to be giving out millions to help them? NOTHING. No changes.
The government isnt SUPPOSED to help the poor.
The only ones who want barak to win are those who want a hand out. Those who cant help themselves. The only people the gov’t should be helping are the elderly/disabled/veterans. Everyone else needs to take responsibity for their own lives, for their own families.
Get off your Arse and get a job, pay your bills, stop living outside of your means. quit doing drugs and killing your own.
If we all learn to sacrifice a little and not expect the government to save us we would be able to save ourselves.
What a sad place this is to live.
- Posted by So SadAnd God help us if it’s taken over by Liberals that go by any party line.
Obama has/had a racist, Amercian hating Pastor….. so who are any of us to judge….
Vengence is mine sayeth the Lord.
If obama becomes President it’s because he has tested this country and found it to be useless and has no use for us.
Any Christian who actually reads the Word of God knows that not standing up for the right to life is not acceptable and isnt anything Jesus would stand for. Jesus forgave those who committed their sins NO MORE, not those who kept practicing them.
Please no more once or twice a week pew hoggers telling others what Jesus or GOd wants for this country.
- Posted by So Sad