Religion Remains Major Dividing Factor Among White Voters

[one...two...tree 2,762]

PRINCETON, NJ -- John McCain has led Barack Obama all summer among highly religious white voters and continues to do so in the first three days of September, with no sign of change coincident with the selection of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his vice-presidential running mate.

About 33% of non-Hispanic white registered voters are weekly church attenders, and the data make it clear that this group forms one of Republican McCain's key constituencies.

The more than 2-to-1 support levels for McCain among this group have been remarkably consistent all summer. Much attention was paid to the possibility that the choice of Palin would help boost McCain's support even further among this group. That may happen in the days to come, but interviewing conducted during the first three days of the Republican National Convention -- Monday through Wednesday -- suggests little change in support patterns among highly religious white voters compared to previous weeks. These religious voters remain about as supportive of McCain as they have been. (These data were mostly collected before Palin's speech on Wednesday night; any impact from that speech will not be apparent for several days.)

McCain also has the support of the smaller group of about 19% of white registered voters who attend church nearly weekly or monthly, but by a somewhat smaller margin. There has been a little more variation in support levels among this group as the summer has progressed, including a slight shift toward Obama in the Sept. 1-3 data.

Finally, there is a distinctly different pattern of candidate support evident among white voters who report seldom or never attending church.

This large group -- about 47% of the white registered voter population -- skews toward Obama by a 12-point margin in the last week of August and in the first three days of September. Again, there has been little substantive change in these voter support patterns all summer.

http://www.gallup.com/poll/110053/Religion...ite-Voters.aspx

[Ken y Leidys 20]

When I was in high-school, I remember hearing rants about Reagan being such a great president when I went to church. I listened to Punk Rock at the time, so I naturally HATED Reagan. If church weren't such a political place, I'd like to go again. But, I don't want to hear about McSame and his loyal bunch of Millionaires...

[IAMX 3,055]

Well, throughout this country's history white man has been been primarily the cause of most major human rights issues -- slavery, sexism, and fundamentalism -- largely based upon religion. Some of us learned. Some of us didn't and won't.

Religion, being a subjective issue, won't ever be a cause for me voting or not voting for someone. However, overbearingly enforcing it upon others is and should be a big concern. McCain and Palin's plans for this country in these terms are nothing short of mind-boggling. Obama.. well, who knows what the heck Obama will end up doing if he's elected.

Edited September 7, 2008 by SRVT