52% of Catholic voters went to Bush? Isn't that huge? Does anyone have the numbers for Catholics for past several elections?
Might lead one to ask why. One theory might be Kerry's mom's buzzword: integrity. It's one thing for a politician to take a position that a voter disagrees with, but the voter can still support him if the balance of their positions is sound.
But when John Kerry asked Catholic, presumably largely democrat, voters to believe that he was pro-life, that may have pushed their credibility (gullibility?) to the limit.
I mean, come on...John Kerry pro-life? I would sooner expect to see Hitler in a yarmulke.
Does anyone have the numbers for Catholics for past several elections?
Gore
got 50% versus Bush's 47% in 2000. Clinton got
53% in 1996. and
44% in 1992.
OTOH, The LA Times has this info:
2000
Al Gore (D) 53%
George W. Bush (R) 46% **
Ralph Nader (G) 1%
1996
Bill Clinton (D) 52% **
Bob Dole (R) 37%
Ross Perot (Reform) 10%
Other 1%
1992
Bill Clinton (D) 42% **
George H.W. Bush (R) 37%
Ross Perot (I) 21%
1988
Michael S. Dukakis (D) 49%
George H.W. Bush (R) 50% **
Other1%
1984
Walter F. Mondale (D) 42%
Ronald Reagan (R) 57% **
Other 1%
1980
Jimmy Carter (D) 42%
Ronald Reagan (R) 50% **
Other8%
1976
Jimmy Carter (D) 54% **
Gerald Ford (R) 44%
Other 2%
1972
George S. McGovern (D) 44%
Richard M. Nixon (R) 55% **
Other 1%
1968*
Hubert H. Humphrey (D) 59%
Richard Nixon (R) 33% **
Other 8%
1964*
Lyndon B. Johnson (D) 76% **
Barry Goldwater (R) 24%
1960*
John F. Kennedy (D) 78% **
Richard Nixon (R) 22%
*These polls were conducted right before these, decisions before exit polls were available. All other polls listed are exit polls.
** Winner
Source:
Changing Catholic Vote Appears Up For Grabs.
The 1968 number is interesting. I suppose it was for George Wallace.
The percentage for Bush was a bit higher among Catholics who actually go to church and believe what the church teaches. It was Kerry's obnoxious statements on abortion and embyonic stem-cell research that grossed most Catholics out. Kerry was too smarmy in his posture of going against church teaching. Catholics didn't want an apostate heretic going against the church in the White House. It was a strong anti-Kerry vote that swung the election particularly in florida and Ohio.
Take away pro-life Catholic votes and Kerry would be the president now. Something to think about.
52% of Catholic voters went to Bush? Isn't that huge? Does anyone have the numbers for Catholics for past several elections? Bush lost the Catholic vote in 2000, so this is a major, major shift. It's been trending that way for years, though.