Faith at the Ballot Box

While religion has always mattered in American politics, some analysts say that in recent years, it has taken on a more prominent role in national elections.
John Green, of the Washington-based Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, points to President Bush's victories in 2000 and 2004, for example, which in part were due to his successful appeal to conservative religious voters. But Green says voters casting ballots in keeping with their religious beliefs dates back decades. Green says America's two leading political parties - - the Democrats and the Republicans - - are often at loggerheads over social issues because of their different religious constituencies. "In the Republican Party, it tends to be white Christians, particularly white evangelical Protestants, but also Christians of other backgrounds. The Democrats have a more complicated religious coalition that includes African-American Protestants, Hispanic Catholics, liberal Christians, Jews, Muslims and Hindus, as well as non-religious people," says Green.
Green says the Republicans tend to talk more openly about religious questions because their coalition is not as diverse. In the Democratic Party, politicians do talk about religion, says Green. "But they are much more cautious because of the religious diversity of the Democratic Party."