Nones Form Biggest Slice Of Obama's Religious Voters

[cbayer]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/23/obama-religious-voters-nones_n_2007247.html

Religion News Service | By Lauren Markoe
Posted: 10/23/2012 9:26 pm EDT Updated: 10/23/2012 9:26 pm EDT

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Supporters hold banners and a doll as President Barack Obama shakes hands with supporters during a campaign event at Triangle Park in Dayton, Ohio, Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2012, the day after the last presidential debate against Republican Presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)


WASHINGTON (RNS) The largest slice of President Barack Obama's religious coalition -- at 23 percent -- is not very religious.

They're the "nones," also known as unaffiliated voters, according to a new American Values Survey by the Public Religion Research Institute.

Gov. Mitt Romney's biggest bloc of religious voters are white evangelical Protestants, at 37 percent, followed by white mainline Protestants and white Catholics, each at 19 percent. Comparing the candidates' supporters, the more diverse religious and nonreligious coalition that's favoring Obama tends to be younger and growing, which could make it easier for Democrats to win elections in the future.

But there's a down side for Obama, said Dan Cox, PRRI's research director.

"The people most likely to support him are the least likely to vote: Latinos, the millennials (voters 18-29), and the unaffiliated," Cox said.

more at link

[rrneck]

1. I guess he'll have to

figure out a way to fire 'em up. Maybe see to it they are fairly paid for their labor And don't have to go into debt for life to get an undergraduate degree.

[cbayer]

2. That would be a good start, wouldn't it.

With less than two weeks to go, it seems that this is a key GOTV demographic.

[longship]

3. PRRI?

I don't know about this outfit. But I can tell you that their conclusion that Latinos, millenials, and nones are least likely to vote is just a little screwy.

On what basis does this Cox decide this? Previous elections? That's perfect!!

Latinos won't vote because all previous elections also had a party wanting to deport all their relatives.

Millenials won't vote because all previous elections had a party which maligned education and women's health choice.

Nones won't vote because all previous elections had seriously rabid tea party idiots all over the place who express things on overtly religious overtones.

Cox is full of hooey. And I suspect PRRI is, too.

Geez! Especially the Latinos and the Nones.

on edit: I just noticed that this came off the RNS wire. (Religion News Service, the most religious of all news services.)

[cbayer]

4. As far as the nones, I suspect this is pretty accurate.

I think the disillusionment (or worse) they experience towards organized religion may also apply to the current political system.

They have been badly hurt by the economic climate and are distancing themselves from organizations of all types.

[longship]

5. All the nones I know are charged up and working.

Diligently to get Obama reelected. But I admit there may be some selection bias in my experience.

[cbayer]

6. That is really great news, longship.

I am in such an isolated area right now, that I really have no idea who is doing what out there. But I hope your experience is representative.