Analysts say Catholic voters reflect broader trends

Catholic voters are increasingly mirroring broader national voting trends ahead of the midterm elections, according to analysts. Ryan Burge, a professor at Washington University in St. Louis and author of the newsletter Graphs about Religion, told OSV News that the Catholic electorate has shifted significantly toward Democrats over the last two years. Burge noted that Catholics act as a highly representative religious group for the American population.

A Pew Research Center survey found that 42% of Catholics would vote for the Democrat in their House district if the election were held today, while 39% would support the Republican. Another 19% of respondents said they were unsure or would choose a candidate from another party. The survey also highlighted a sharp division between white and Hispanic Catholics regarding their candidate preferences.

Data from the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research published Oct. 15 showed that registered Democrats expressed more enthusiasm for voting than Republicans and that more voters expressed a desire for Democrats to control Congress.