The State of the Catholic Vote in 2012: It Ain’t What It Used to Be

The Center for American Progress’ Jack Jenkins describes the changes to the “Catholic vote” since the 1950s. While John F. Kennedy could count on a large majority of Catholics to support him in 1960, what Jenkins calls the “put-a-Catholic-on-the-ticket game” no longer automatically results in winning over Catholic voters. Jenkins also finds that “[u]nlike their historical progenitors, the Catholics of today … aren’t beholden to one or two issues and aren’t even all that influenced by the views of the established Catholic hierarchy.”

Read at The Center for American Progress

© 2011 Religion & Politics