Rachel Evans
Catholics represent one of the largest and most diverse religious groups in the United States, with over one-fifth of Americans identifying as Catholic. In the 2024 United States presidential election, former President Donald Trump, a non-Catholic, is running against current Vice President Kamala Harris, who is also not Catholic. However, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, a Catholic, is seeking the Republican presidential nomination. With the election predicted to be close, Catholic voters in swing states could play a decisive role, as they have in previous elections.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Catholic candidates running for president in 2024 | Chris Christie, Tim Scott |
| Catholic candidates running for president in previous elections | Donald Trump, Marco Rubio |
| Catholic voters' priorities | Abortion, climate change |
| Catholic voters' preference in 2024 | Donald Trump (53%) over Kamala Harris (46%) |
| Catholic voters' preference in 2020 | Joe Biden |
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What You'll Learn
Joe Biden is the second Catholic US president
Biden's Catholicism was a notable aspect of his 2020 presidential campaign. He joined the ranks of dozens of Catholics who have run for president since Kennedy. Biden's victory in the 2020 election marked a significant moment for Catholics in the United States, as he became only the second Catholic president in the nation's history.
Biden's religious background has been a topic of interest throughout his political career. When he was chosen as Barack Obama's running mate in 2008, the Democratic ticket received a significant portion of the Catholic vote. Biden's Catholic faith has been seen as a factor in his political appeal, particularly among Catholic voters.
The influence of Biden's Catholicism on his policies and decision-making has also been a subject of discussion. While the separation of church and state is upheld in the United States, the religious beliefs of presidents can still shape their perspectives and approaches to various issues. Biden's Catholicism may have influenced his stance on certain social and ethical matters.
As the second Catholic president, Biden's election reflects the religious diversity of the United States. While the majority of US presidents have been Christians, with many belonging to the Episcopalian or Presbyterian denominations, Biden's victory highlights the significant presence of Catholics in the country.
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Catholics make up one of the largest religious groups in the US
Catholics make up one of the largest religious groups in the United States, second only to Protestants. According to the Vatican's 2021 Statistical Yearbook of the Church, the US has more Catholics than all but three other countries: Brazil, Mexico, and the Philippines.
In terms of religious demographics, about 23% of US adults identify as Catholic, while 48.9% are Protestants, 2% practice Judaism, and 1% each follow Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam. Among US Catholics, more than four-in-ten are immigrants (29%) or the children of immigrants (14%). Asian Catholics have the highest share of first-generation immigrants at 78%, followed by Hispanic Catholics at 58%. On the other hand, 83% of White Catholics have families that have been in the US for three generations or longer.
Catholics tend to be older, with nearly six-in-ten Catholic adults (58%) aged 50 and older, compared to 47% of all US adults in the same age range. In terms of religious practice, about three-in-ten US Catholics (29%) attend Mass weekly or more, while a larger share (51%) pray daily and consider religion very important in their lives (44%). Partisan affiliation among Catholic voters varies by race and ethnicity. Overall, 53% of Catholic registered voters identify with or lean towards the Republican Party, while 43% affiliate with the Democratic Party. However, among White Catholic registered voters, 61% lean towards the GOP, while 36% identify with the Democratic Party.
In the context of the 2024 presidential election, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and US Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina are both Catholic candidates seeking the Republican presidential nomination.
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Catholic candidates since JFK
John F. Kennedy, or JFK, was the first Catholic president of the United States. During his 1960 campaign, Kennedy had to overcome anti-Catholic sentiment and the idea that he would be overly influenced by his faith and the Pope. In a famous address, Kennedy stated:
> I am not the Catholic candidate for president. I am the Democratic Party's candidate for president, who happens also to be a Catholic. I do not speak for my church on public matters, and the church does not speak for me.
Since JFK, there have been several Catholic presidential candidates, including Joe Biden, who became the second Catholic president of the United States in 2020. In 2019, Biden joined the dozens of Catholics who have run for president since JFK, but only one had come close to winning before Biden's victory. John Kerry, who lost to George W. Bush in 2004, was the first Catholic to win a major-party nomination since JFK. In 1972, Senator Ed Muskie of Maine was leading in the polls during the Democratic primary race but ultimately lost the nomination.
In 1984, Geraldine Ferraro was the Democratic vice-presidential nominee, making her the first Catholic on a major party ticket since JFK. That year, Ronald Reagan won about half of the Catholic vote, including a majority of non-Hispanic white Catholics. Reagan's victory marked the third consecutive presidential election in which Catholics failed to support the Democratic candidate.
In 2008, Joe Biden became the first Catholic to be elected Vice President of the United States, serving alongside Barack Obama. In 2012, Biden faced another Catholic, Paul Ryan, in the vice-presidential race.
In recent years, Catholic candidates have emerged from both the Democratic and Republican parties. In 2016, six of the 17 candidates who qualified for the Republican presidential debates were Catholic. However, some Catholic voters have expressed concern about the Democratic Party's stance on abortion, which conflicts with the Catholic Church's teachings.
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Catholics voting Republican
Catholics represent one of the largest and most diverse religious groups in the United States, with over one-fifth of Americans identifying as Catholic. Since the 1960s, the Catholic vote has been bipartisan, with Catholics voting for both Republican and Democratic candidates.
In the 1960s and 1970s, a number of Catholics abandoned their traditional affiliation with the Democratic Party and began to support the Republican Party. This shift is evidenced by Nixon's increase in Catholic votes from 33% in 1968 to 52% in 1972. Since the 1970s, non-Hispanic white Catholics have reliably voted majority Republican, while a majority of Hispanic or Latino Catholics have voted Democrat. In the 1980 election, Ronald Reagan won about half of the Catholic vote, with the support of many non-Hispanic white, blue-collar Catholics.
In the 2000 election, 50% of Catholics voted for Al Gore, while 47% voted for George W. Bush. However, in the 2004 election, 52% of Catholics voted for Bush over John Kerry (47%). In 2008, Barack Obama received 54% of the Catholic vote, while John McCain received 45%. In 2016, Donald Trump won the Catholic vote over Hillary Clinton (50% vs. 46%), and in 2020, the Catholic vote was again split relatively evenly between Biden and Trump.
While the percentage of Catholics who identify as Democrats has remained largely unchanged over the last decade, the percentage of Catholic Republicans has increased from 21% to 28%. Additionally, nearly six-in-ten White Catholic registered voters (57%) identify with or lean toward the Republican Party, while most Hispanic Catholic voters (68%) identify as Democrats or lean Democratic. In the 2024 election, Catholic votes from Pennsylvania, the largest of the battleground states, remain a toss-up.
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Peter Sonski: 2024 Catholic presidential hopeful
Peter Sonski, a 61-year-old New England native, is running for president in 2024 as a member of the American Solidarity Party. Sonski has had careers in journalism, public relations, insurance, business administration, and local politics. He graduated with a BA and MSM from The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC, and has previously worked in Washington, DC, as Director of Communications for the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception and as Assistant Editor at National Catholic Register.
Sonski has more than a dozen years of experience as an elected official, having served as a municipal board of finance member (chairman) and board of selectmen (city council) member. He has been active in the pro-life movement for decades and advocates for an end to capital punishment and clemency for people awaiting execution. He has also worked to prevent the legalization of assisted suicide in Connecticut.
Sonski's policies include robust tax credits and incentives that support family unity and basic needs, such as living wages, affordable and stable housing, quality medical care, educational opportunities, and good nutrition. He advocates for workers and local businesses and will create incentives for the development of a broad ownership economy. He seeks to preserve farmland and develop more open space initiatives, business co-ops, and community enterprises.
Sonski supports increased border security and believes that the United States should be open to people seeking asylum or opportunities. He also supports Ukraine's right to defensive support and Israel's right to defend itself, though he wants Israel to cease fighting in Gaza and allow more humanitarian aid. He supports government social programs but believes they are often better managed privately or at the local level.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, there are a few Catholic candidates running for president in the 2024 US election. These include former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, and former President Donald Trump, who is seeking a second, nonconsecutive term.
Catholics represent one of the largest and most diverse religious groups in the United States, with over one-fifth of Americans identifying as Catholic. In the last six presidential election cycles, the Catholic vote has been largely split between the Democratic and Republican candidates. White Catholics tend to be more Republican and conservative than Hispanic Catholics and American Catholics overall.
Abortion is a significant issue for Catholic voters, with about three in ten saying they would only vote for a candidate who shares their views on abortion. Climate change is also important, with one-quarter of Catholics stating they would only vote for a candidate who shares their views on this issue.
