Religion is among the most powerful predictors of voting behavior in American elections. This pattern plays out again in the 2008 race for the White House. And while Democrats are working hard to appeal more to people of faith, a strong religious/political divide continues. For example, those who tell a pollster religion plays an “important part” in their daily life are much more likely to support John McCain. But Americans with a more secular persuasion side with Obama. Gallup’s Frank Newport recently underscored this point:
And, as we’ve been seeing all year, one of the most important variables which helps us understand voting patterns among non-Hispanic whites (about three quarters of the registered voter population), is religion. Best example (again, from our July Gallup aggregate). “Is religion important in your daily life?” Simple question with important consequences. Among those who say “yes”, it’s McCain by 37 points. Among those who say “no”, it’s Obama by 16 points.
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