Santorum's edge in Ala came from religious voters

[cbayer]

I don't think there is anything we can do to win these people over.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gk6l4L47gUGkWX7bV4NJjuSmtHoA?docId=c16fa813039c4405a11c9f7584c54d8f

By ALAN FRAM, Associated Press – 3 hours ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — People favoring a candidate who shares their religious beliefs helped Rick Santorum capture Tuesday's Republican presidential primary in Alabama, exit polls of voters showed. He also won among women and younger voters.

In the contest in neighboring Mississippi, Santorum did well with those caring most strongly about a contender's religion, and those seeking a true conservative and strong moral character in their nominee.

People saying it mattered that they share religious beliefs with their candidates comprised three-quarters or more of voters in both Deep South states. Santorum, the former Pennsylvania senator who has repeatedly emphasized the pivotal role Catholicism has played in his life, won 41 percent of their votes in Alabama, while former House Speaker Newt Gingrich took 31 percent. Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, was a distant third with 23 percent of their vote.

In Mississippi, Santorum, Gingrich and Romney ran roughly evenly with that group. But among the nearly half of Mississippians saying sharing religion with a candidate was very important, Santorum won 43 percent, well ahead of his two rivals.

In another measure of the role religion was playing, Santorum captured 35 percent of white evangelical Christian or born-again voters in both Alabama and Mississippi, about the same as Gingrich but several percentage points better than Romney. Such voters accounted for 8 in 10 voters in Mississippi, the most in any state this year where voters have been surveyed, and nearly as many in Alabama.

more at link

[atreides1]

1. Translation

Those that see themselves as "Christians" first and as Americans when it's convenient!

[Owlet]

4. Folks I know from that area

don't see any distinction between "Christian" and "American". In their view, Real Americans are Christian, and those of other faiths (or no faith) are definitely seen as suspect. Just my experience: your mileage may vary.

[izquierdista]

2. Religious tests for office may be unconstitutional,

but don't tell the voting public.

[cbayer]

3. Right. These are single issue voters and Santorum knows it.

But are they a big enough group to get him elected.

I doubt it.

[Bryn]

6. Didn't Santorum say if you're not Catholic you're Pagan?

Those people who voted for him in MS, AL, OK are most likely to be Southern Baptist/others like it. Did they know?

[cbayer]

7. I don't know if he did, but I don't think they care.

Santorum carries the evangelical flag better than just about any evangelical out there. Most people don't even know that he is Catholic (just read a survey on that). Based on his fire and brimstone approach, they assume he is an evangelical protestant.

Heck, I even though that up to about 6 weeks ago.

[Rob H.]

15. "...I don't think they care."

I live in Tennessee (another state Santorum carried) and they really, really don't. I think their "anybody but Obama" doesn't include "even a Mormon" and they don't like Newt Gingrich down here, either, strangely enough.

There were even hand-painted signs lining the road leading to a Southern Baptist megachurch near me (it's also a polling place) that read "JAMES DOBSON ENDORSES RICK SANTORUM." In a perfect world, that would be a warning label, not a reason to vote for him!

[Brettongarcia]

9. Watch out; the conservative, Catholic anti-abortion vote is worth 2%-19% in almost any election

[cbayer]

11. Is that a national number or is the variation so great because it reflects the average of

individual states?

[Brettongarcia]

16. It changes widely from election to election; right now it's down to about 2%.

And it does vary somewhat region to region.

Stil, it's enough to determine elections. While are often won by less than 1%

[northoftheborder]

5. Democrats should just give up on those states as far as office of Pres. Waste of money and effort.

[cbayer]

8. Not sure about that. There are a lot of democrats and a lot of non-evangelicals that

will vote against Santorum when it comes to the general election.

He's so extreme that I think he will drive voters into the arms of the Democratic party.

At least, I hope that is what will happen.

[madrchsod]

10. i knew he was going to win

the deep south do not like mornoms. plus romney has`t a clue how to connect with the great unwashed in this country.

[cbayer]

12. Romney's distance from the ordinary person becomes more obvious every day.

And if there's one thing that regular southerners really don't like, it's rich people.

[Brettongarcia]

13. Christianity a major voting segment; but is it a unified block? Mormons, Catholics, and Protestant?

Religion/Christianity remains so central to most Americans, that any candidate to be elected in America, must publicly say he is Christian. Specially in the Bible Belt.

But? What KIND of Christian, we should ask.

1) As some articles are noting, recently, Protestant evangelicals "misidentify" Santorum, as "one of us." While traditionally, Protestants and Catholics were often literally at war; from about 1535, through Thirty Years War, and so forth. Protestants referred to the Pope as "the Anti Christ," and so forth.

2) Then too? Even within Catholicism, Santorum is pretty extreme: Santorum is pretty much a "one issue" Catholic; he fetishizes abortion. Even though many more moderate/liberal Catholic cardinals spoke against any dis "proportionate" emphasis, in our religion, on any single, "one issue" like contraception and abortion; warning against ignoring other, Democratic social issues. Like helping the poor and sick for example.

3) Further, most Protestant churches allow contraception and abortion. So why should they support the radical conservative, anti-abortion cult, of Santorum?

Indeed, Democrats should remind Protestants and Catholics of their vast differences in the next election.

4) By the way, until the recent massive publicity blitz by the LDS, the Mormons? Most Christians were very suspicious of Romney's Mormonism. Most are not sure it is even Christian at all. While they have heard awful things about its polygamists, like Warren Jeffs, currently in Texas. Christians need to be reminded of these differences.

The fact is, it looks as if Christians of many denominations are getting lumped together, and might be voting together, in the next election, around any candidate that seems vaguely Christian. But? Each denomination, need to be reminded of huge differences and conflicts, between those who say they are Christians.

Protestants especially, might not be entirely happy, if they see what a purely Catholic president, wants to do.

[cbayer]

14. There are lots and lots of Christians who wouldn't vote for Santorum under any circumstances.

Their objections to him may vary, but one strong one is his extreme, fundamentalist beliefs.

There is a fundamentalist/evangelical RW Christian voting bloc for sure, but it does not include many denominations.

[Brettongarcia]

17. An interdenominational right-wing voting block, violates many religious beliefs

There is a right-wing block emerging, across many denominational boundaries. But? Shouldn't we tell Protestant Evangelical right wingers, that voting for Santorum would violate many of their Protestant beliefs?

Why is it that suddenly, a political ideology - "conservatism" - now trumps all religious beliefs? Why is it that suddenly, being Protestant or Catholic or Mormon, doesn't matter; as long as you are a conservative?

So: how sincere are conservative religious beliefs? It doesn't seem to be religion; it seems to be political beliefs, that are really motivating them.