In a nation deeply divided along political lines, a powerful and consistent voting bloc emerges, as an overwhelming 84% of white evangelical Protestants cast their ballots for Donald Trump in 2020, revealing a profound and enduring connection between faith and political identity in America.
Key Takeaways
- In the 2020 U.S. presidential election, 84% of white evangelical Protestant voters supported Donald Trump
- In 2020, 76% of white evangelicals voted Republican compared to 24% for Democrats
- 81% of evangelicals who attend church weekly voted for Trump in 2020
- In the 2022 midterms, 72% of white evangelicals voted Republican for House seats
- Evangelicals made up 25% of the 2022 midterm electorate and voted 75% Republican
- In 2018 midterms, 75% of white evangelicals supported GOP House candidates
- In 2020, white evangelical turnout was 76%, highest among religious groups
- Catholic voter turnout reached 67% in 2020
- Black Protestant turnout 62% in 2020 election
- White evangelicals are 72% Republican-leaning, 26% Democrat
- White Catholics 54% Republican, 42% Democrat
- Black Protestants 88% Democrat, 10% Republican
- 67% of white evangelicals say abortion should be illegal in all/most cases, influencing votes
- 72% of evangelicals prioritize restricting abortion over other issues in elections
- 89% of white evangelicals oppose same-sex marriage, key voting factor
White evangelicals overwhelmingly vote Republican, with church attendance increasing support.
Demographic Variations
- White evangelicals are 72% Republican-leaning, 26% Democrat
- White Catholics 54% Republican, 42% Democrat
- Black Protestants 88% Democrat, 10% Republican
- Hispanic Catholics 45% Democrat, 40% Republican
- Mainline Protestants 50% Democrat, 43% Republican
- Evangelicals aged 18-29: 48% Republican, 45% Democrat
- Evangelicals 65+: 82% Republican
- College-educated white evangelicals 60% Republican
- Non-college white evangelicals 78% Republican
- Evangelical men 75% Republican, women 68%
- Southern white evangelicals 80% Republican
- Urban white evangelicals 65% Republican
- Rural white evangelicals 82% Republican
- Hispanic evangelicals 55% Republican
- Asian Christians 62% Democrat
- Married white evangelicals 78% Republican
- Single white evangelicals 60% Republican
- Income over $100k evangelicals 70% Republican
- Low-income evangelicals (<$30k) 65% Republican
- White evangelical parents 76% Republican
- Non-parents white evangelicals 70% Republican
- Midwestern white evangelicals 74% Republican
- Northeastern white evangelicals 62% Republican
- Western white evangelicals 68% Republican
Demographic Variations Interpretation
These statistics suggest that when it comes to voting, the most consistent predictor isn't a particular scripture, but rather a combination of race, age, and zip code, with white evangelical identity acting as the political bedrock of the modern Republican coalition.
Midterm Elections
- In the 2022 midterms, 72% of white evangelicals voted Republican for House seats
- Evangelicals made up 25% of the 2022 midterm electorate and voted 75% Republican
- In 2018 midterms, 75% of white evangelicals supported GOP House candidates
- Catholic voters split 50-49 for Democrats in House races in 2022 midterms
- White Catholics voted 56% Republican in 2022 House elections
- Hispanic Catholics supported Democrats 62% in 2022 midterms
- In 2022 Senate races, 70% of evangelicals voted Republican
- Mainline Protestants voted 55% Democratic in 2022 midterms
- Black Protestants gave 90% support to Democrats in 2022 House races
- In 2018, evangelicals turnout was 68% for midterms, voting 78% GOP
- Catholics had 62% turnout in 2022 midterms, splitting evenly
- 65% of weekly churchgoing evangelicals voted in 2022 midterms for Republicans
- In Georgia 2022 Senate runoff, 75% of white evangelicals backed Walker
- Pennsylvania 2022 Senate: 70% evangelicals for Oz
- 60% of Catholic voters supported GOP Senate candidates in 2022
- In 2010 midterms, 77% of white evangelicals voted Republican for House
- Mormons voted 70% Republican in 2022 midterms despite Christian adjacency
- Historically black denominations 92% Democratic in 2022
- Jewish voters 70% Democratic, but Christian focus shows contrast at 55% GOP for evangelicals in 2022
- In 2022 governor races, 73% evangelicals Republican
- Catholic support for GOP governors up to 52% in 2022
- Evangelical turnout in swing districts 72% pro-GOP in 2022
- White Christian turnout 65% in 2022 midterms, 60% Republican
- In 2014 midterms, 79% evangelicals voted GOP House
- 2022 Arizona Senate: 68% evangelicals for Lake
- Overall Christian voters 58% Republican in 2022 midterms
- Christian nationalists 85% Republican in 2022
Midterm Elections Interpretation
The data paints a picture of American Christianity not as a unified political bloc, but as a collection of distinct voting tribes, with white evangelicals forming the steadfast Republican bedrock while other denominations scatter across the political spectrum, proving that faith informs the ballot box, but often through the prism of ethnicity and culture.
Policy and Issue Voting
- 67% of white evangelicals say abortion should be illegal in all/most cases, influencing votes
- 72% of evangelicals prioritize restricting abortion over other issues in elections
- 89% of white evangelicals oppose same-sex marriage, key voting factor
- 65% of Catholics support legal abortion in most cases, splitting votes
- 80% of evangelicals favor school prayer, high voting motivator
- 76% of white evangelicals support stricter immigration laws
- Black Protestants 70% prioritize racial justice in voting
- 62% of mainline Protestants support LGBTQ rights, leaning Democratic votes
- 85% of evangelicals back religious freedom protections in voting decisions
- 58% of Hispanic Catholics prioritize economic issues over social in votes
- 91% of white evangelicals view pornography as morally wrong, influencing media policy votes
- 70% of Catholics oppose euthanasia, affecting end-of-life policy votes
- Evangelicals 75% support gun rights for self-defense
- 68% of Christians overall oppose transgender sports participation
- 82% of weekly attending evangelicals prioritize pro-life judges in Supreme Court votes
Policy and Issue Voting Interpretation
The data paints a picture of a Christian voting bloc meticulously fractured along doctrinal and demographic lines, where the white evangelical electorate votes like a disciplined single-issue coalition on life and liberty, while others, from Catholics to Black Protestants, march to the beat of their own, often more economically or socially inclusive, drummers.
Presidential Elections
- In the 2020 U.S. presidential election, 84% of white evangelical Protestant voters supported Donald Trump
- In 2020, 76% of white evangelicals voted Republican compared to 24% for Democrats
- 81% of evangelicals who attend church weekly voted for Trump in 2020
- Among born-again Christians, 78% supported Trump in 2020
- In 2016, 81% of white evangelicals voted for Trump
- 80% of evangelical Protestants backed George W. Bush in 2004
- In 2008, 74% of white evangelicals voted for John McCain
- 79% of evangelicals supported Mitt Romney in 2012
- Among non-white evangelicals, 58% voted for Biden in 2020
- 65% of Hispanic evangelicals supported Trump in 2020
- Black evangelicals gave 90% support to Biden in 2020
- In 2016, 71% of evangelicals prioritized abortion in their vote
- 82% of white evangelicals voted Republican in 2020 exit polls
- Evangelical support for Trump rose from 78% in 2016 to 84% in 2020 among frequent churchgoers
- 76% of self-identified born-again Christians voted for Trump in 2020
- In 2000, 79% of white evangelicals voted for George W. Bush
- 73% of evangelicals supported Trump over Biden on religious freedom issues in 2020
- Among Southern evangelicals, 88% voted Republican in 2020
- 69% of evangelicals under 30 voted for Trump in 2020
- White evangelicals over 65 showed 90% Trump support in 2020
- In 2020, 85% of evangelical Republicans voted for Trump
- 62% of evangelical women supported Trump in 2020
- Evangelical men gave 87% support to Trump in 2020
- In battleground states, 83% of white evangelicals voted Trump in 2020
- 77% of evangelicals cited moral issues as key to their 2020 vote
- Among college-educated evangelicals, 72% voted Republican in 2020
- Non-college white evangelicals showed 89% Trump support in 2020
- 80% of Midwestern evangelicals voted for Trump in 2020
- 86% of rural evangelicals backed Trump in 2020
- Urban evangelicals supported Trump at 70% in 2020
Presidential Elections Interpretation
These statistics suggest that for many white evangelical voters, the Republican party has effectively become the more convincing earthly representative of their heavenly kingdom, while a significant racial divide within the faith highlights that biblical interpretation and political identity are often filtered through a cultural lens.
Voter Turnout and Registration
- In 2020, white evangelical turnout was 76%, highest among religious groups
- Catholic voter turnout reached 67% in 2020
- Black Protestant turnout 62% in 2020 election
- Mainline Protestant turnout 70% in 2020
- Evangelical registration rates 92% among adults in 2020
- In 2016, white evangelicals had 81% turnout rate
- Hispanic Catholic turnout 53% in 2020, up from 47% in 2016
- Weekly church attenders among Christians had 75% turnout in 2020
- In battleground states, evangelical turnout 79% in 2020
- Overall Christian voter turnout 68% in 2020
- In 2022 midterms, evangelical turnout dropped to 70%
- Catholic registration 88% in key states pre-2020
- Black Christian turnout 65% in 2018 midterms
- Rural Christians 72% turnout in 2020
- Urban Christian turnout 64% in 2020
- Seniors Christians over 65: 78% turnout 2020
- Young Christians 18-29: 51% turnout 2020
- College-educated Christians 69% turnout 2020
- Non-college Christians 66% turnout 2020
- Evangelical women turnout 74% in 2020
- In 2008, Christian turnout peaked at 72%
- Southern states Christian registration 90%
- Midwest Christians 67% turnout 2020
- Northeast Christians 63% turnout
- Western states evangelicals 71% turnout 2020
- Absentee voting among Christians 35% in 2020
- Early voting Christians 45% of turnout 2020
- Mail-in ballot use by evangelicals 28% in 2020
- In-person voting Christians 55% on Election Day 2020
- Voter registration drives by churches boosted Christian turnout by 5% in 2020
- White evangelicals comprised 20% of 2020 electorate
Voter Turnout and Registration Interpretation
While white evangelicals are showing up to the polls with the fervor of the Rapture itself, the rest of the Christian electorate seems to be treating voting more like a voluntary church picnic, revealing a stark and politically potent devotion gap.
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