There is a religious divide.
A recent survey by the Pew Research Center reveals that while a majority of Protestants and Catholics are inclined to support former President Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential race, voters from other religious groups largely favor Vice President Kamala Harris.
The poll, conducted among 9,720 U.S. adults between August 26 and September 2, examined not only the general state of the presidential contest but also voter preferences based on religious affiliations. Trump, representing the Republican Party, holds the lead among both Protestants and Catholics, with 52% of Catholics and 61% of Protestants planning to vote for him, compared to Harris’ 47% and 37%, respectively. A deeper look shows Trump’s dominance among white Evangelical Protestants (82%), white Catholics (61%), and white Mainline Protestants (58%). In contrast, Harris garners strong support from Hispanic Catholics (65%) and Black Protestants (86%).
Other religious groups lean more towards Harris, with her leading Jewish voters 65% to 34%, and the religiously unaffiliated supporting her by 68% to 28%. Notably, 85% of atheists and 78% of agnostics plan to vote for Harris, as do 59% of those identifying as having “no particular” religious affiliation.
Church attendance also plays a role in voter preferences. Among white Catholics and white Evangelical Protestants, those attending church regularly are more likely to support Trump. For instance, 65% of white Catholics who attend Mass at least once a month favor Trump, compared to 58% of those attending less frequently. Similarly, 85% of white Evangelical Protestants who are regular churchgoers back Trump, while that figure drops to 78% for those attending less often.
However, a reverse trend is seen among white non-Evangelical Protestants, where less frequent churchgoers tend to support Trump more. Harris receives equal backing from Black Evangelical Protestants, whether they attend church regularly or not, though Trump’s support is slightly higher among those who attend church less frequently.
In total, 63% of regular churchgoing Christians plan to vote for Trump, while 55% of those attending less often support Harris. When considering all respondents, regardless of religious background, the vote is split evenly at 49% each for Trump and Harris.
This Pew poll contrasts with an August survey by EWTN News and RealClearOpinion Research, which found a slight majority of Catholic voters favoring Harris over Trump. Historical data from the 2020 election shows Trump had strong backing from white Evangelical Christians and white Protestants, though Biden was favored by most other religious groups.