Potential Support High for Clinton Where do white mainline Protestants stand with regard to the announced and potential Democratic presidential candidates? A June survey from the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press sheds light on this question at this stage of the campaign by measuring name recognition and likelihood of support at the polls. (View a complete discussion of the survey findings and more details on the survey methodology.)

Name Recognition. Among white mainline Protestants, Democratic and Democratic-leaning registered voters are virtually unanimous in saying they are familiar with Al Gore* and Hillary Clinton, and more than nine-in-ten have heard of John Edwards (95%) and Barack Obama (91%).

Other Democratic candidates and potential candidates are less well-known; among all Democrats and Democratic-leaning registered voters, 53% report having heard of Joe Biden, 47% of Bill Richardson, 38% of Chris Dodd and 35% of Dennis Kucinich.

Likely Support. White mainline Protestants express more potential support for Clinton than for the other Democratic candidates. Fully 80% say that there is either a “good chance” (41%) or “some chance” (39%) they would vote for her, figures that are comparable to those seen among Democratic registered voters as a whole. Just 16% say there is “no chance” Clinton would get their vote. Fewer mainline Protestants say there is a chance they would vote for Gore (with 67% saying there is a “good chance” or “some chance” they would vote for him), Edwards (63% “good chance” or “some chance”) or Obama (60% “good chance” or “some chance”).

* Not an announced candidate as of June 4, 2007.