Rachel Evans
The 2020 US election saw Catholic voters almost evenly split between Trump and Biden, with 50% backing Trump and 49% favoring Biden, a practicing Catholic. In 2024, Trump's support among Catholic voters increased, with 54% supporting him and 44% backing Harris. The Catholic vote is divided along racial lines, with most White Catholics supporting Trump and most Latino Catholics supporting Harris. The Catholic vote is also influenced by social issues, with conservative Catholics opposing Harris due to the Democratic Party's support for abortion rights, while liberal Catholics disapprove of Trump's stance on immigration and social justice issues.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of Search | 18 October 2024 |
| Support for Trump among Catholics | 54% |
| Support for Biden/Harris among Catholics | 44% |
| Support for Trump among White Catholics | 60% |
| Support for Biden/Harris among White Catholics | 40% |
| Support for Trump among Latino Catholics | 40% |
| Support for Biden/Harris among Latino Catholics | 60% |
| Support for Trump among Catholic voters in North Carolina, Florida and Texas | Increased in 2024 compared to 2020 |
| Support for Trump among White Evangelicals | Higher among those who attend church regularly |
| Support for Biden/Harris among White Evangelicals | 19% |
| Support for Trump among Black Protestants | 15% |
| Support for Biden/Harris among Black Protestants | 85% |
| Support for Trump among Jewish voters | 30% |
| Support for Biden/Harris among Jewish voters | 69% |
| Catholic voters' views on Trump's immigration policies | Some Catholic Republicans support Trump despite his immigration policies, believing that their intent is not to support racism or inhumane living conditions for immigrants |
| Catholic voters' views on Biden/Harris' abortion policies | Some Catholic Democrats support Biden/Harris despite their abortion policies, believing that their intent is not to support abortion |
| Catholic voters' views on Biden's religiosity | Catholics are divided on Biden's religiosity and whether he talks about his faith too much or too little |
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What You'll Learn
- White Catholics tend to support Trump, while Hispanic Catholics tend to support Biden
- Catholic Republicans can vote for Trump despite his immigration policies, if their intent is not to support those positions
- Catholic Democrats can vote for Biden despite his abortion stance, if their intent is not to support that position
- Catholic voters are divided over volatile social issues, like abortion and immigration
- Biden is the second Catholic president in US history, but Catholics are divided over how religious he is
White Catholics tend to support Trump, while Hispanic Catholics tend to support Biden
In 2020, the Catholic electorate was almost evenly split, with 50% backing Trump and 49% supporting Biden. However, in 2024, Trump's support among Catholic voters increased, with 54% of Catholic voters supporting him and 44% backing Harris. This shift was particularly notable in North Carolina, Florida, and Texas. The increase in Trump's support among Catholic voters is attributed to a racial divide within the Catholic community.
About six in ten white Catholics supported Trump, while about four in ten supported Harris. In contrast, about six in ten Latino Catholics supported Harris, and approximately four in ten backed Trump. These differences in political preferences among White and Hispanic Catholics are influenced by various factors, including their stances on social issues, immigration, and abortion.
White Catholics who attend Mass regularly are more likely to support Trump than those who attend less frequently. On the other hand, Hispanic Catholics, particularly those under 50, are more inclined to support Biden, and they consider issues beyond abortion, such as social justice and immigration.
The political divide extends to perceptions of Biden's religiousness. While majorities across political parties acknowledge that Biden is Catholic, they differ sharply in their assessments of how religious he is and whether he discusses his faith too much or too little. These differences highlight the complex interplay between religion and politics in the United States, where support for a candidate is influenced by a combination of religious, social, and ideological factors.
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Catholic Republicans can vote for Trump despite his immigration policies, if their intent is not to support those positions
While Catholic bishops across the United States have been raising objections to the treatment of migrants and challenging the president's policy, urging Catholics and non-Catholics alike to put compassion for humans ahead of political allegiances, many Catholic Republicans still support Trump's actions to overturn Roe v. Wade.
It is important to note that the Catholic Church's stance on immigration is not a political issue but a matter of deeply held religious beliefs. Jesus Christ commanded Catholics to love God and to love their brothers and sisters, especially the most vulnerable, regardless of their country of origin or how they arrived. Despite this, most white Catholic Republicans agree with Trump's treatment of immigrants, and support for Trump is higher among those who attend church regularly.
In the context of the 2020 presidential election, Democrats bet on Biden's evident comfort with faith as a powerful point of contrast against Trump. However, most Catholics, like most voters, had already made up their minds, and the winner would depend on a few persuadable Catholics in key states, as well as Catholic turnout, especially among Hispanic Catholics.
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Catholic Democrats can vote for Biden despite his abortion stance, if their intent is not to support that position
There is a significant debate among American Catholics about whether a Catholic can vote for Joe Biden, given his stance on abortion. While the Catholic Church's teachings on abortion are non-negotiable, some argue that a Catholic Democrat can vote for Biden, despite his abortion stance, if their intent is not to support that position.
In Catholic theology, intention is a critical factor in determining the morality of an action. "Faithful Citizenship," a Catholic doctrine, acknowledges that in the complex world of politics, a Catholic may vote for a candidate who disagrees with the Church on certain important issues, as long as their intention is not to support those specific positions. This is permissible only for truly grave moral reasons, not for advancing partisan preferences or ignoring fundamental moral evils.
For instance, a Catholic Democrat might feel compelled to vote for Biden despite his stance on abortion and gay marriage because of his positions on other morally grave issues, such as racism, immigration, global warming, and COVID-19. They may agree with his overall policy agenda while disagreeing with specific aspects related to abortion.
However, critics argue that Biden's support for state-funded abortion and his opposition to legal protections for religious freedom are direct contradictions to Catholic teachings. They assert that his stance on abortion fails to uphold the duty to respect the life and dignity of every human person, as taught by the Church.
Ultimately, the decision for Catholic Democrats is a complex one, weighing their agreement with Biden's overall policy agenda against their disagreement with his abortion stance. While some may find his stance on abortion unacceptable, others may justify their vote for him by prioritizing other morally significant issues that align with Catholic social teachings.
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Catholic voters are divided over volatile social issues, like abortion and immigration
Catholic voters in the United States are divided over volatile social issues, such as abortion and immigration. While the majority of white Catholics support Trump, most Latino Catholics support his opponents, Biden and Harris.
In 2020, the Catholic electorate was almost evenly split, with 50% backing Trump and 49% supporting Biden. In 2024, Trump's support among Catholic voters increased, with 54% voting for him and 44% backing Harris. This shift was particularly notable in North Carolina, Florida, and Texas. The racial divide among Catholic voters persists, with about 60% of white Catholics supporting Trump and around 40% backing Harris, while approximately 60% of Latino Catholics supported Harris, and 40% supported Trump.
The Catholic vote is influenced by a range of social issues. Some conservative Catholics oppose the Democratic Party's staunch support for abortion rights, while others disagree with Trump's stance on immigration and social justice issues. Catholic voters also consider the candidates' religious identities and how they align with Catholic theology.
Trump's support for mass deportations and his appointment of conservative Supreme Court justices appeal to some Catholics. Meanwhile, Biden's position on abortion and gay marriage conflicts with Catholic teachings, leading some Catholics to question whether he should be allowed to receive Communion. However, other Catholics support Biden's stance on racism, immigration, and global issues.
The Catholic vote is further complicated by the frequency of church attendance. Among White Catholics, support for Trump is higher among those who attend Mass at least monthly compared to those who attend less often. Catholic voters are also influenced by the guidance provided by priests, with some priests expressing preferences by focusing their preaching on specific issues like abortion or social justice.
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Biden is the second Catholic president in US history, but Catholics are divided over how religious he is
Joe Biden is the second Catholic president in US history, after John F. Kennedy. However, Catholics are divided over how religious he is, and this division is largely split along party lines. According to a Pew Research Center survey, 63% of Democrats and Democrat-leaning independents say Biden is Catholic, while only a slightly smaller majority of Republicans and Republican leaners (55%) say the same.
The survey also found that six in ten US adults believe Biden mentions his religious faith and prayer "about the right amount". However, the remainder are divided as to whether he discusses his faith "too much" (14%) or "too little" (21%). White evangelicals are the only group in which fewer than half of respondents (41%) say Biden talks about his faith "about the right amount".
The question of Biden's Catholicism is connected to his stance on abortion. Some Catholics believe that politicians who support abortion rights should be ineligible to receive Communion, and Biden's views on abortion have led some to question whether he should be allowed to receive the Eucharist. This view is more common among older Catholics and those who attend Mass more frequently.
The 2020 election saw a sharp divide among Catholic voters, with 50% backing Trump and 49% favoring Biden. This divide was largely along racial lines, with most White Catholics supporting Trump and most Latino Catholics supporting Biden. The 2024 election saw a shift towards Trump among Catholic voters, with 54% supporting him and 44% backing Harris.
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Frequently asked questions
According to AP VoteCast, Trump has boosted his support among Catholic voters in 2024, capturing 54% of the vote compared to 44% for Vice President Kamala Harris. In 2020, Catholic voters were almost evenly split between Trump and Biden, with 50% backing Trump and 49% favoring Biden.
Catholic voters who support Trump may do so because of his opposition to abortion. Additionally, some Catholic voters may support Trump despite his policies on immigration because of other morally grave reasons.
Catholic voters who support Biden may do so because of his positions on issues such as racism, immigration, and global warming. Some Catholic voters may support Biden despite his stance on abortion and gay marriage because of other morally grave reasons.
Most priests do not provide explicit guidance on who to vote for. However, some may signal their preferences by preaching only on specific issues such as abortion or social justice in the lead-up to an election.
There is debate among American Catholics over whether Joe Biden, a practicing Catholic, can be considered a Catholic politician. While most U.S. adults, including those from both major political parties, acknowledge that Biden is Catholic, there are differing views on how religious he is and whether he talks about his faith too much or too little.
