CNN: 60% South Carolina voters say religion mattered, flipping results from Romney [Vanity]

Colofornian | Jan. 21, 2012 | Colofornian

[Colofornian]

Many GOP voters -- including some well-meaning Freepers -- keep attempting to lecture voters that Mitt Romney's Mormonism "doesn't matter."

Well, tell that to three of every five South Carolina primary voters who, according to CNN exit polls, said a candidate's religion mattered either "a great deal" or "somewhat."

Click EXIT POLLS: South Carolina for polling data.

Only 40 percent of South Carolina GOP voters said that the "Religious Beliefs of Candidates Matter... Not Much/Not at All"

Two-fifths of the "Not Much/Not at All" Crowd voted pro-Romney -- compared to...
...less than one-third of them voting for Gingrich...
...less than 1 in 8 for Paul...
...and less than 1 in 16 for Santorum.

BUT...of the "Great Deal/Somewhat" Voting bloc...Romney couldn't even beat Santorum...(20-22%)...while 46% of them voted for Gingrich!

80 percent of South Carolina GOP voters identified themselves as Protestants. Their vote breakdown was:
* 42% Gingrich;
* 27% Romney;
* 17% Santorum;
* 12% Paul.

13 percent of South Carolina voters identified themselves as Roman Catholic. Their vote breakdown was:
* 37% Gingrich;
* 29% Romney;
* 15% Santorum;
* 10% Paul.

When you split out the Evangelicals/born agains within the Protestant vote, they voted:
* 44% Gingrich;
* 22% Romney;
* 21% Santorum;
* 13% Paul.

For every Evangelical voting for Romney, one was voting for Santorum...and more than two were voting for Gingrich.

For those who might be tempted to reduce these South Carolina results to a "bigoted" Southern state, think again. A late 2006 Rasmussen poll -- Election 2008: 43% Would Never Vote for Mormon Candidate (Rasmussen Poll) -- revealed:

The Rasmussen Reports survey found that 35% say that a candidate's faith and religious beliefs are very important in their voting decision. Another 27% say faith and religious beliefs are somewhat important. Ninety-two percent (92%) of Evangelical Christian voters consider a candidate's faith and beliefs important. On the partisan front, 78% of Republicans say that a candidate's faith is an important consideration, a view shared by 55% of Democrats. However, there is also a significant divide on this topic within the Democratic Party. Among minority Democrats, 71% consider faith and religious beliefs an important consideration for voting. Just 44% of white Democrats agree.

So…what percent of the following groups found that a candidate’s faith and religious beliefs are an important consideration for voting?
(1) Americans: 62%
(2) Evangelical Christians: 92%
(3) Republicans: 78%
(4) Minority Democrats 71%
(5) Democrats: 55% [still a majority]

If the other-worldly worldviews of a POTUS candidate doesn't phase your trust in their character, gullibility, level of discernment, etc...So be it. (It's a Free Republic)

But for those voters who do integrate such considerations amongst other criteria such as social issues' stances, candidate viability, scandal-free past, economic policies, and the like, this included dimension of religion describes a majority of voters!

[greyfoxx39]

Could it possibly be that this isn’t about Mormonism but abortion instead?

It could very well be about both, in that mormon doctrine teaches that abortion is OK if one prays about it and gets the green light from her leader.

"The Church opposes abortion as one of the most revolting and sinful practices of this day. Members must not submit to, be a party to, or perform an abortion. The only exceptions are the rare cases where, in the opinion of competent medical counsel, the life or health of the woman is in jeopardy or the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape. Even then, the woman should consider an abortion only after counseling with her husband and bishop or branch president, and receiving divine confirmation through prayer."

In his address at Brigham Young University on 1999-FEB-09 Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles reaffirmed that an abortion is permissible, after "counseling with the local presiding priesthood authority and after receiving divine confirmation" if any of four grounds existed:

	The life of the mother is seriously endangered.
	The good health of the mother is seriously endangered.
	The pregnancy was caused by rape.
	The pregnancy was caused by incest.

He cited an additional ground that would allow abortion as a permissible choice:

"The fetus has severe defects that will not allow the baby to survive beyond birth." 2

For a thorough explanation of abortion and the mormon church, Click here

[Vendome]

That looks like something to do...once but, I’d do it and think it was cool.

FUMR

[Vendome]

I gotta come up with a theme for this weeks primary in Florida.

Maybe something tying the “why” of Newt and who the smart money is on and Perry, Todd and Chuck supporting...with Jeb abstaning or something like that.

Newt MUST BE THE NOMINEE!

Mutt needs to have his stoopid, mindless and Yawn....palaver muted or lost in Newt’s message.

I am convinced that Mitt can spend all the money he wants but, if he doesn’t stand for something he is going to get rolled by someone who actually does stand for something.

Should I go with my original post and some articulate new thought or save a new thought for one more week?

[Colofornian]

Colofornian, we’ve been telling people Romney couldn’t carry the evangelical base for five years and man have we taken heat for it. Why would the GOP push Romney so hard knowing this??

Some families have a tradition where if you were the bridesmaid at the previous wedding, you automatically get shoved to the front in being promoted as the next "eligible" bride.

Well, that's the Mythster, shiny tooth & all.

But yes, FC, you were one of the original Flying Inmans touting the realities of Mormonism on this site. (And in highly original ways I might add!)

We've warned and warned and warned. And I'm assuming our role isn't done.

[Colofornian]

Thus, the M-Card is almost now in the open.

Yes. Well summarized.

And the implication of this campaign-wise is as follows:

If Romney was to mount a comeback of sorts, but get heavily dinged up along the way...still losing many Southern states in a manner similar to SC...

Well, the MSM & the Dems aren't going to dismiss the results of South Carolina, etc.

They will see presenting Mormonism-as-it-is for what they think it is: O's extended reservation in the White House.

South Carolina has assured that Mormonism-is-with-us in the MSM in 2012...well, at least as long as Mitt's in the race!

[ladyjane]

I don’t like the theory that Mitt was defeated because of his religion

How to explain then the many voters - including some on this board - who say they would *never*vote for a mormon?

[WPaCon]

Agreed.

It’s better and more realistic to think that Romney lost because he is a bad candidate, not because of religious reasons.

[moose-matson]

It’s better and more realistic to think that Romney lost because he is a bad candidate, not because of religious reasons.

_______________________________________

"More realistic"???

Seriously? With all the anti-Mormon tripe on this forum?

[MHGinTN]

Lets give the voters in SC a little credit. Perhaps they see Milt’s religion as a major weakness if he were up against the media’s demigod barry, as in the media would expose everything the LDSinc machine tries to hide from those they seek to proselytize. The avergae voter in America haqs no idea the strange aspects of MormonISM, because the 52,000 ‘missionaries’ never expose any of the strangeness and perhaps most aren’t even aware of these themselves. Perhaps savvy SC voters see Milt’s religion as an issue in that way. Having conversed with a friend who lives down in Monk’s Corner, I heard that argument weeks ago out of SC.

[MHGinTN]

Meant to ping you ... CNN is skewing stats by mischaracterizing them perhaps.

[MHGinTN]

Ah yes, the ISM apologists try that almost daily, to call the posting of the facts of MormonISM as tripe. You've earned a big 'FAIL' sign, dude/dudette.

[reaganaut]

What exactly are we Evangelicals so in error about that you equate us with Mormons?

[reaganaut]

forgot to ping you to above and #26

[Colofornian]

I think that SC indicates the probability that Mitt Romney cannot receive the votes of the Christian and Evangelical base.

Well, we still have a lot of work to do.

I think the polls indicated in the Fall that something like 60% people still didn't know that Mitt Romney was a Mormon.

The CNN Exit polls referenced in this article indicates that about 48% of all South Carolina GOP voters were influenced enough about Romney's religion to include that as one factor among others to not vote for him.

[How I arrived @ 48%: 60% said they took religion into consideration; 80% of them didn't vote for Romney...hence about half of the state GOP-wise]

That either means...

More and more people are becoming aware of what Mormonism is...
Or GOP voters have always had a more in-depth understanding of how bad Mormonism is...
...Or it's a combo of both.

[ejonesie22]

Really?

Enlighten me as to this error...

[WPaCon]

This forum isn’t representative of the rest of the population.

I don’t see why the anti-Mormons want to give Romney the religious bigotry excuse.

[svcw]

Error error error hum?
What error?

[moose-matson]

Thank you for making my point that the CNN poll was likely accurate in stating that the SC defeat of Romney was due, at least in part, to religious prejudice.

I knew that somebody would...you were on the short list.

[Tennessee Nana]

Monk’s Corner is in Berkeley County and they tend to be Conservative... Lots of military live in the area..Newt got that one..

The county that Romney got was Charleston the liberal one where theres a big Mormon ward/stake house...

[moose-matson]

I don’t see why the anti-Mormons want to give Romney the religious bigotry excuse.

_________________________________________

I agree. This is not the right way to defeat him, or anyone else. Beat him on the merits.

I have no doubt that the anti-Catholic brigade here would be doing the same to Santorum if he were leading.

Newt's late-life, hormone driven conversion of convenience doesn't count. Besides, he is off-limits to all those who take their marching orders from others here.