2012 Election
[05.01.2012]
A new survey of U.S. Jewish opinion from the American Jewish Committee echoes many of the findings from the 2012 Jewish Values Survey, including continuing strong Jewish support for President Obama. The AJC survey reported that around 6-in-10 (61%) American Jews said that if the election were held today, they would vote for Obama, compared to 28% who said they would vote for Romney, and 11% who were undecided. This… more
[05.01.2012]
Today, the John C. Danforth Center at Washington University in St. Louis is launching Religion & Politics, a new online journal that focuses on the role religion plays in the civic and political life of the United States. In her introductory note, the editor, Dr. Marie Griffith, sets forth an ambitious but worthy goal. Religion, she observes, “has always been entwined in American politics.” As the country ages, burgeoning religious… more
[04.25.2012]
A new study from Harvard University’s Institute of Politics shows Barack Obama leading Mitt Romney by 12 points (41% vs. 29% respectively) among younger Millennials (age 18-24). This is gap is nearly identical to the one found in 2012 Millennial Values Survey, conducted by Public Religion Research Institute and the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs where Obama led a generic Republican by 13 points (49% vs. 36%… more
[04.05.2012]
Since the controversial contraception mandate exploded into a front-page story earlier this year, female voters’ voting preferences have become the subject of much debate. But, as the Pew Research Center’s new report, drawing on three decades of data, shows, the gender gap in presidential politics is not new. It does, however, have the potential to get significantly larger, as young, single women grow into an increasingly powerful voting bloc. In… more
[03.22.2012]
According to a new Pew Research Center survey, 38% of Americans believe that there is too much expression of religious faith and prayer from political leaders, compared to 30% who say there has been too little and 25% who say that there has been the right amount. Since Pew asked the question in 2001, there has been a 26-point increase in the percentage of people who believe there is too much expression… more
[02.29.2012]
Mitt Romney eked out a narrow victory in Michigan, retaining his grip on front-runner status (at least until Super Tuesday). His win in Arizona was much more decisive. The exit polls in both states show that Romney’s support came from a familiar coalition, which indicates that his intense battle with Santorum for his home state may not have jostled him as severely as some feared. Romney did best among higher-income… more
[02.27.2012]
Presidential hopeful Rick Santorum had some harsh words for president John F. Kennedy’s now famous address, declaring that the 1960 speech to a group of ministers in Houston on the role of religion in public life made him want to “throw up.” Ironically, the main purpose of Kennedy’s speech was to allay pervasive fears that Kennedy, a Catholic, would base his presidential decisions on the Vatican’s decrees, rather than the… more
[02.02.2012]
One thing’s for sure: however uncomfortable white evangelical Protestants may be with Mitt Romney’s Mormonism, their reservations doesn’t seem to be stopping Republicans voters from believing that Romney is their best option against Obama in the narrowing slate of contenders for the GOP nomination. In fact, according to the new PRRI/RNS Religion News Survey, Romney’s most significant advantage over his competitors in the eyes of GOP voters is their confidence… more
[02.02.2012]
On the morning of the National Prayer Breakfast, our CEO, Dr. Robert P. Jones, went on C-SPAN’s popular morning program, “The Washington Journal,” to discuss major religious groups’ influence on elections, with a particular emphasis on the issues that are already circulating in the 2012 presidential campaign. He took questions from the audience in addition to discussing PRRI findings with the host, and delved into topics like the current debates… more
[01.26.2012]
In his State of the Union address, one of the last opportunities for President Barack Obama to address a large segment of the American public before they go to the polls in November, Obama dedicated almost all of his time to a subject that divides the country: the American Dream. Declaring that the “defining issue of our time” is how to keep the promise of the American Dream alive, he… more
