Grace Thompson
Catholics have been active in US elections since the mid-19th century, and while they currently comprise 25-27% of the national electorate, they did not always hold many high offices in government. In the 119th Congress, Catholics made up 28.2% of members of the House of Representatives and the Senate, with 126 members of the House and 24 Senators identifying as Catholic. This is an increase from the 118th Congress, which had 23 Catholic Senators.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Percentage of Catholics in the US Senate | 28.2% (24 senators) |
| Percentage of Catholics in the House of Representatives | 27.7% (126 members) |
| Total number of Catholics in the 119th Congress | 150 |
| Percentage of Catholics in the 118th Congress | 27.7% (148 members) |
| Percentage of Catholic Democrats in the Senate | 54.2% (13 senators) |
| Percentage of Catholic Republicans in the Senate | 45.8% (11 senators) |
| Percentage of Christians in Congress | 85% |
| Percentage of Jews in Congress | 6% |
| Percentage of Orthodox Christians in Congress | 1.1% |
| Percentage of Mormons in Congress | 1.7% |
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What You'll Learn
Catholics are overrepresented in the Senate compared to the US population
Catholics are indeed overrepresented in the Senate compared to the US population. According to the Pew Research Center, 24 Senators are Catholic, which is just over 28% of the Senate. In contrast, only about 20% of adults in the United States consider themselves Catholic. This disparity is even more pronounced when compared to the overall religious makeup of the country. While Catholics are the largest Christian denomination in Congress, they represent just one-quarter of the US population.
The overrepresentation of Catholics in the Senate is part of a broader trend of religious groups having greater representation in Congress than in the general population. For example, Jews make up 2% of the US adult population but account for 6% of Congress. Similarly, Presbyterians, Lutherans, and Episcopalians are also overrepresented in Congress relative to their numbers in the general population.
On the other hand, some religious groups are underrepresented in Congress. Buddhists, Muslims, Hindus, humanists, and Universalist Unitarians each account for less than 1% of Congress, despite having larger followings in the general population. The most notably underrepresented group in Congress is the religiously unaffiliated, who account for 22-28% of the general public but only 0.2% of Congress.
The religious affiliation of senators and other elected officials has been a source of interest and discussion among the media, the public, and religious groups. While it is not necessarily reflective of their voting records, having senators of a particular denomination can be important for religious groups when appealing to them on religious or moral issues facing the country.
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Catholic voters comprise 25-27% of the national electorate
Catholics have been active in US elections since the mid-19th century. While there has never been an American Catholic religious party, Catholics have been courted by both the Democrats and the Republicans. In the 1960s and 1970s, a number of Catholics abandoned the Democratic Party and began to support the Republicans. This shift is evidenced by Nixon's increased share of the Catholic vote in the 1968 and 1972 elections.
Today, Catholic voters comprise 25-27% of the national electorate, making them one of the nation's largest swing groups. Partisan identity among Catholics is closely divided, with about half of Catholic voters identifying as Republicans and 44% identifying as Democrats. Catholic voters who attend services monthly or more often are more likely to lean Republican, with 61% identifying as such.
The Catholic vote has been particularly influential in swing states such as Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin, which have ample Catholic populations. In 2020, Catholic voters in Pennsylvania supported Trump over Biden by a margin of 55%-44%. However, the national Catholic vote, with a larger Hispanic share, was about evenly split.
Historically, Catholics have not held many high offices in the US government. However, there have been notable exceptions, including members of the Cabinet and the Supreme Court.
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Catholic representation in the Senate has been increasing
Catholics have been active in US elections since the mid-19th century. While Catholics did not historically hold many high offices in government, Catholic representation in the Senate has been increasing. In the 119th Congress, Catholic representation grew to just over 28% of the members of the House of Representatives and the Senate, according to a report from the Pew Research Center. This is an increase of 0.5% from the previous Congress, which had a Catholic representation of 27.7%.
The number of Catholic senators in the 119th Congress is 24, up from 23 in the 118th Congress. This is a notable increase from the 115th Congress, where Catholics made up around a quarter of the Senate. The majority of Catholic senators in the 119th Congress are Democrats (13), with the remaining 11 being Republicans.
Catholics are the largest Christian denomination represented in Congress, with Christians accounting for about 85% of Congress. The second-largest faith group is Jewish, which accounts for 6% of Congress, followed by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), which accounts for 1.7%.
The increase in Catholic representation in the Senate reflects the growth of Catholicism in the United States. While Catholics comprised less than 1% of the population in 1776, heavy immigration from predominantly Catholic countries in the 19th and 20th centuries has contributed to the growth of Catholicism in the US. Today, about 20% of adults in the US consider themselves Catholic, and Catholic voters comprise around 25-27% of the national electorate.
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The majority of Catholic senators are Democrats
Catholics make up just over 28% of the members of the House of Representatives and the Senate in the 119th Congress. This is a slight increase from the 118th Congress, which had 24 Catholic senators. According to Pew Research Center, 13 of the 24 Catholic senators are Democrats, with 11 being Republicans. This makes the Catholic senators in the US majority Democrats.
The number of Catholic senators in the US has been steadily increasing over the years, with the 117th Congress having 28 Catholic senators. The increase in Catholic representation in Congress is partly due to the growth of the Catholic population in the United States, which now stands at about 68 million members. Catholic voters comprise 25% to 27% of the national electorate, and about 20% of adults in the US consider themselves Catholic.
The religious affiliation of senators in the United States Senate reflects the variety of religions in the country. While the religious preference of elected officials is not an indication of their allegiance or voting record, it is a topic of discussion among the media and public. Jews, for example, make up 2% of the US adult population but account for 6% of Congress. On the other hand, the religiously unaffiliated make up 22-28% of the general public but only 0.2% of Congress.
The Catholic Church has been active in US politics since the mid-19th century. In 1836, Roger B. Taney, one of the first 54 justices on the United States Supreme Court, was appointed. From the 1930s to the 1950s, Catholics formed a core part of the New Deal Coalition, promoting liberal domestic policies and anti-communism during the Cold War. Today, Catholic senators continue to engage with religious and moral issues facing the country.
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Jews are overrepresented in the Senate
Jews are overrepresented in the US Senate. While Jews make up only 2% of the US population, they account for 8% of the Senate, with eight Senate seats held by Jewish lawmakers. In the House of Representatives, there are 25 Jewish lawmakers, bringing the total number of Jewish lawmakers in the US Congress to 33. This means that Jews make up around 6% of Congress as a whole.
The overrepresentation of Jews in the Senate is even more striking when compared to other religious groups. For example, Muslims make up 1% of the country but have only three representatives in Congress, making up just 0.6% of the legislative body. Atheists, agnostics, and those with no religious affiliation are also significantly underrepresented, with only one member of Congress describing themselves as unaffiliated.
The religious makeup of Congress differs markedly from the country it serves. While the number of Christians in America has declined in recent years, the number of Christians in Congress has increased. This discrepancy may be due in part to the historical affiliation between the Jewish people and the Democratic Party, with 31 of the 33 Jewish lawmakers in Congress being Democrats.
The overrepresentation of Jews in the Senate and Congress as a whole reflects the enduring influence of American Jewry in US politics. However, it also highlights the underrepresentation of other religious groups, particularly Muslims and atheists, in the country's legislative bodies.
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Frequently asked questions
There are 24 Catholic senators in the US Senate, according to a 2023 report.
Catholics make up 25% to 28% of the US Senate.
Catholics make up around 20% of the US population, meaning they are overrepresented in the Senate.
Protestants make up just under 56% of the Senate, and Jews make up 6%.
