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Religion & Politics 2012

News, analysis and data on the role of religion in politics, social issues, candidates and political parties relevant to the 2011-12 election season.

 

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POLL December 14, 2012
Americans Learned Little About the Mormon Faith, But Some Attitudes Have Softened
Eight-in-ten Americans say they learned little or nothing about the Mormon religion during the 2012 presidential campaign, according to a new Pew Research Center poll. At the same time, poll findings suggest some warming of attitudes toward Mormonism, especially among religious groups that voted heavily for Mitt Romney.
POLL October 18, 2012
Latinos, Religion and Campaign 2012
A recent survey finds Latino Catholic voters strongly favor Obama, while Latino evangelical Protestants are more closely divided in their support for Obama and Romney. The survey also finds rising support for same-sex marriage among Latinos.
POLL August 2, 2012
Candidate Preference by Religious Group, Late July Update
A new Pew Research Center poll finds that more voters say they have an unfavorable than favorable view of Mitt Romney. Barack Obama’s image remains, by comparison, more positive.
POLL August 1, 2012
Catholics Share Bishops’ Concerns about Religious Liberty
A new survey report finds that Catholics who are aware of U.S. bishops’ concerns about restrictions on religious liberty generally agree with the bishops’ concerns. Yet there are no significant differences in the presidential vote preferences between Catholic voters who have heard about the bishops’ protests and those who have not.
POLL July 31, 2012
Two-Thirds of Democrats Now Support Gay Marriage
Reports that the Democratic Party may add support for gay marriage to its party platform are in keeping with a significant shift of opinion on this issue among Democrats nationwide. A new report finds that support for same-sex marriage among Democrats has jumped from 50% in 2008 to 65% today.
POLL July 26, 2012
Little Voter Discomfort with Romney’s Mormon Religion
A new Pew Research Center poll finds that voters have limited awareness of Mitt Romney’s Mormon faith and Barack Obama’s religion. And there is little evidence to suggest that concerns about the candidates’ respective faiths will have a meaningful impact in the 2012 fall elections.
POLL July 12, 2012
Candidate Preference by Religious Group, July Update
Polling conducted in late June and early July by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press finds that despite the stagnant economy and broad dissatisfaction with national conditions, Barack Obama holds a significant lead over Mitt Romney.
POLL June 7, 2012
Americans’ Religious Values
The gap in religious values between Republicans and Democrats has widened over the past 25 years, according to the Pew Research Center’s American Values Survey. 
POLL March 21, 2012
More See "Too Much" Religious Talk by Politicians
A new survey finds signs of public uneasiness with the mixing of religion and politics. The number of people who say there has been too much religious talk by political leaders stands at an all-time high in Pew Research Center surveys, and most Americans continue to say that churches and other houses of worship should keep out of politics.
POLL November 23, 2011
Romney's Mormon Faith Likely a Factor in Primaries, Not in a General Election
A new survey finds that there has been virtually no change in Americans' impressions of the Mormon faith over the past four years. Meanwhile, about half of all voters, and 60% of evangelical Republicans, know that Mitt Romney is a Mormon. Romney’s religion has implications for his nomination run but not for the general election should he be nominated as his party’s standard bearer.
POLL November 11, 2010
Post-Election Analysis: Politics in the Pulpit
A new survey by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press finds that compared with 2006, fewer voters encountered information on parties or candidates in their house of worship, and only 6% say they were contacted by religious groups about the election campaign.
POLL September 17, 2010
Few Say Religion Shapes Immigration, Environment Views
Many Americans continue to say their religious beliefs have been highly influential in shaping their views about social issues, including abortion and same-sex marriage. But far fewer cite religion as a top influence on their opinions about several other social and political issues, including how the government should deal with immigration, the environment and poverty.
POLL August 18, 2010
Growing Number of Americans Say Obama is a Muslim
A substantial and growing number of Americans say that Barack Obama is a Muslim, while the proportion saying he is a Christian has declined. More than a year and a half into his presidency, a plurality of the public says they do not know what religion Obama follows.
POLL April 7, 2010
Broad Criticism of Pope Benedict's Handling of Sex Abuse Scandal
Amid new revelations of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church, Pope Benedict XVI's job ratings for handling the scandal have plummeted, according to a Pew Research Center survey.
ANALYSIS December 1, 2009
GOP Seen as Friendlier To Religion Than Democrats
The number of Americans describing the Democratic Party as friendly toward religion returned to levels similar to those seen in 2005 through 2007, according to a recent survey report. The Obama administration, however, is seen as friendly toward religion by more people (37%) than the Democratic Party as a whole (29%).
ANALYSIS November 19, 2009
Abortion Plays Small Role in Health Reform Opposition
While most Americans oppose government funding of abortion, a new Pew Research Center survey finds that concern about abortion funding plays only a small role in driving opposition to the health care reform legislation under consideration by Congress.
ANALYSIS November 18, 2009
Modest Rise in Concern About Islamic Extremism
The public continues to express concern about the rise of Islamic extremism in the United States and abroad, but a survey taken shortly after the deadly Nov. 5 shootings at the Fort Hood Army base shows only a modest increase in these concerns since 2007.
ANALYSIS November 16, 2009
Faith-Based Programs Still Popular, Less Visible
More than eight years after former President George W. Bush unveiled his faith-based initiative to make it easier for religious groups to receive government funding to provide social services, such as feeding the needy, the policy continues to draw broad public support.
POLL October 9, 2009
Majority Continues To Support Civil Unions
A clear majority of Americans (57%) favor allowing gay and lesbian couples to enter into civil unions. This finding marks a slight uptick in support for civil unions and appears to continue a significant long-term trend.
POLL July 24, 2009
A Portrait of Mormons in the U.S.
This report, based on data from the U.S. Religious Landscape Survey, explores Mormons' unique place in the American religious landscape and is divided into three parts: demographic characteristics, religious beliefs and practices, and social and political views.
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