Sarah Mitchell
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 US Presidential Election, Catholic voters were divided over whether to vote for Donald Trump or Kamala Harris. While Trump was the preferred candidate for White Catholics, Harris garnered more support from Hispanic Catholics. The Catholic vote was also influenced by factors such as church attendance, with regular churchgoers more likely to support Trump, and by social issues such as abortion and immigration.
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What You'll Learn
Catholics are split on abortion policies
Some conservative Catholics believe that the Democratic Party's strong support for abortion rights is a compelling reason to oppose Harris. They view her as a threat to American Catholics due to her outspoken support for abortion rights. However, other Catholics find Trump's position on abortion inconsistent and untrustworthy. They believe that his preference for state-by-state abortion laws falls short of a truly anti-abortion stance.
On the other hand, some liberal Catholics are turned off by Trump's rhetoric and policies towards migrants and his lack of interest in social justice issues. They feel that his policies would cause harm to migrant and refugee communities and destabilize communities across the country.
The Catholic vote is also influenced by factors beyond abortion, such as immigration and the economy. Trump's stance on immigration and his promise to build a wall received mixed reactions, with some Catholics supporting his strong border control measures while others found his rhetoric offensive and divisive. In terms of economic policies, some Catholics felt that Harris' plans would help people feel more secure, while others trusted Trump more on economic issues.
While Catholics are divided on abortion policies and other issues, the support for each candidate also varies within the Catholic community. White Catholics, particularly those who attend church regularly, tend to favour Trump, while Black Protestants, Hispanic Catholics, and Latino Catholics show stronger support for Harris. Catholic men are more likely to support Trump, whereas Catholic women are almost evenly split between the two candidates.
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Trump's comments are deemed disrespectful
In the 2024 US presidential election, Donald Trump's comments at the Al Smith Dinner were deemed disrespectful, rude, dehumanizing, and vulgar. Trump's remarks and threats were considered by some Catholics to be misaligned with the "fruits of the spirit" outlined in the New Testament, namely, "love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and gentleness".
Trump's comments at the Al Smith Dinner were not the only instance of him making disrespectful remarks. In late October 2024, Trump called Harris "destructive to Christianity" and said Catholics are "treated worse than anybody". These comments were part of a push by Trump and his running mate, JD Vance, to court the Catholic vote in the final weeks of the election.
Trump's comments and positions on certain issues have been a source of concern for some Catholic voters. For example, some Catholics have expressed disappointment in Trump's preference for state-by-state abortion laws rather than a national ban. While Trump is seen by some as the pro-life candidate, others argue that his anti-abortion position does not hold up under scrutiny. Additionally, Trump's demonization of migrants and disinterest in social justice issues have been cited as reasons why some Catholics do not support him.
Trump's comments and positions have influenced the voting decisions of Catholics. While Trump enjoyed stronger support among White Catholics, particularly those who attended Mass regularly, Harris was preferred by Hispanic Catholics and those who seldom or never attended religious services. Catholic women voters were evenly split between Trump and Harris, while Catholic men favored Trump.
In conclusion, Trump's comments at the Al Smith Dinner and his other remarks were deemed disrespectful by some Catholics. His positions on abortion, immigration, and social justice issues have also been a source of concern for some Catholic voters. As a result, Catholic voting preferences in the 2024 election were influenced by these factors, with a split in support between Trump and Harris.
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Catholics are the largest religious voting bloc
Catholics are a significant voting bloc in the United States, comprising around 25% to 27% of the national electorate. This makes them the largest religious voting bloc in the country, ahead of mainline Protestants. In certain states, Catholics can account for an even larger share of the electorate; for example, in the 2024 presidential election, Catholics made up 22% of voters in 10 key swing states.
Historically, Catholics have been active in American elections since the mid-19th century. In the late 19th century, 75% of Irish and German Catholics voted for Democratic presidential candidates. This trend continued into the early 20th century, with Catholics voting alongside Protestants in the South, largely along racial lines. In the North, Catholics tended to support the Democratic Party, which offered protection from pietistic moralism, especially prohibition.
However, the Catholic vote has become increasingly divided between the two major parties in recent decades. In 1994, Democrats lost their majority among Catholic voters for the first time in House of Representatives elections. By 2009, Catholic voters were evenly split between the two parties, and in 2016, Catholics were no longer the largest religious voting bloc, with the religiously unaffiliated surpassing them as the nation's biggest voting bloc.
Despite this, Catholics remain a crucial voting bloc in American politics, and both parties actively court their support. In the 2024 presidential election, Catholic voters favored former President Donald Trump over Vice President Kamala Harris, both nationally and in key swing states, according to exit polls. Trump's lead was slightly larger among White Catholic voters, with 60% supporting him compared to 37% for Harris.
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Catholics are concerned Harris is anti-Christian
Several concerns have been raised about Kamala Harris's stance on issues that are important to Catholics, which some consider to be anti-Christian.
Firstly, Harris has been accused of being "destructive to Christianity" by former president Donald Trump, who also asserted that Catholics would be treated badly under her leadership. Trump's running mate, JD Vance, also accused Harris of "prejudice against Catholics". These accusations come in the context of Harris's support for abortion rights, which is at odds with Catholic doctrine, and her criticism of pro-life hecklers at one of her rallies. Harris has also expressed her intention to regulate the free speech of pro-life pregnancy centers.
In addition, Harris has been criticized for her absence from the annual Al Smith dinner in New York, which raises money for Catholic charities and is usually attended by presidential candidates. Instead, she sent a video to the event that was considered disrespectful and unfunny by some Catholics.
These factors have led some Catholics to view Harris as an "anti-Catholic" candidate and to favor Trump in the election, despite his own controversial statements and actions.
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Catholic voters are diverse
Catholics represent one of the largest and most diverse religious groups in the United States. Over one-fifth of Americans identify as Catholic, including 12% who identify as White Catholic and 8% who identify as Hispanic Catholic. Despite the Catholic Church's stance on a variety of political issues, Catholic voters' opinions vary widely. This diversity of views is reflected in the range of reasons Catholic voters give for supporting either Trump or Harris.
Some Catholic voters support Trump because they believe he is the pro-life candidate. They see Trump's stance on abortion as a reason to vote for him, despite his preference for state-by-state abortion laws rather than a national ban. Additionally, Trump's position on immigration and the economy is preferred by Catholic voters over Harris's. White Catholics, particularly those who attend Mass regularly, tend to support Trump more than White Catholics who attend Mass less often or not at all.
On the other hand, some Catholic voters oppose Trump, finding his comments and behaviour rude, dehumanizing, and vulgar. They believe that his remarks and threats are not aligned with the values outlined in the New Testament. Some Catholic voters also take issue with Trump's demonization of migrants and his lack of interest in social justice issues. These voters may view Harris as a better alternative, despite her stance on abortion being morally problematic for those who believe in the right to life. Catholic voters who seldom or never attend religious services are more likely to support Harris, and Latino Catholics tend to favour her over Trump.
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Frequently asked questions
Catholics are one of the largest and most diverse religious groups in the United States, and their votes are split between the two major parties. While White Catholics tend to lean towards the Republican Party and support Trump, Hispanic Catholics tend to support Harris and the Democrats.
Abortion is a key issue for Catholic voters, with some conservative Catholics opposing Harris due to the Democratic Party's support for abortion rights. However, other Catholics have criticised Trump for his preference for state-by-state abortion laws rather than a national ban. Immigration is another important issue, with Trump's stance on immigration and social justice issues making him unappealing to some Catholics.
Yes, the frequency of religious service attendance appears to be a factor. Catholics who attend religious services weekly or more are more likely to vote for Trump, while those who seldom or never attend are more likely to vote for Harris.
In the 2020 election, Catholic voters were almost evenly split between Trump and Biden, with a slight majority favouring Trump. In the 2024 election, Trump increased his support among Catholic voters, particularly in states like North Carolina, Florida, and Texas.
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