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Evangelicals Rally to Trump, Religious ‘Nones’ Back Clinton
http://www.pewforum.org/2016/07/13/evangelicals-rally-to-trump-religious-nones-back-clinton/Evangelical voters are rallying strongly in favor of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. Indeed, the latest Pew Research Center survey finds that despite the professed wariness toward Trump among many high-profile evangelical Christian leaders, evangelicals as a whole are, if anything, even more strongly supportive of Trump than they were of Mitt Romney at a similar point in the 2012 campaign. At that time, nearly three-quarters of white evangelical Protestant registered voters said they planned to vote for Romney, including one-quarter who “strongly” supported him.1 Now, fully 78% of white evangelical voters say they would vote for Trump if the election were held today, including about a third who “strongly” back his campaign.
Meanwhile, religiously unaffiliated voters – those who describe their religion as “atheist,” “agnostic” or “nothing in particular” – are lining up behind Hillary Clinton over Trump, much as they supported Barack Obama over Romney in 2012. Two-thirds of religiously unaffiliated registered voters say they would vote for Clinton if the election were held today, just as two-thirds intended to vote for Obama at a similar point in the 2012 campaign.2 Religious “nones” are, however, somewhat less enthusiastic about Clinton’s candidacy (26% now strongly support her) than they were about Obama in June 2012 (37%).
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This shift also reflects changes in the religious composition of the country. Compared with those who identify with a religion, the religiously unaffiliated segment of the population is both less desirous of a pious president and growing very rapidly. The growth of the religious “nones” also has contributed to a decline in the share of Americans who say they think churches and other houses of worship contribute significantly to solving important social problems.
Far fewer “nones” (38%) than Protestants (65%) or Catholics (63%) say churches and other houses of worship contribute “a great deal” or “some” to solving important social problems. Nonetheless, all of these groups have seen declines in the shares who hold this view in recent years.
Meanwhile, religiously unaffiliated voters – those who describe their religion as “atheist,” “agnostic” or “nothing in particular” – are lining up behind Hillary Clinton over Trump, much as they supported Barack Obama over Romney in 2012. Two-thirds of religiously unaffiliated registered voters say they would vote for Clinton if the election were held today, just as two-thirds intended to vote for Obama at a similar point in the 2012 campaign.2 Religious “nones” are, however, somewhat less enthusiastic about Clinton’s candidacy (26% now strongly support her) than they were about Obama in June 2012 (37%).
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This shift also reflects changes in the religious composition of the country. Compared with those who identify with a religion, the religiously unaffiliated segment of the population is both less desirous of a pious president and growing very rapidly. The growth of the religious “nones” also has contributed to a decline in the share of Americans who say they think churches and other houses of worship contribute significantly to solving important social problems.
Far fewer “nones” (38%) than Protestants (65%) or Catholics (63%) say churches and other houses of worship contribute “a great deal” or “some” to solving important social problems. Nonetheless, all of these groups have seen declines in the shares who hold this view in recent years.
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