New Poll Finds Christians Losing Faith In The Democratic Party
A recent poll indicates that a majority of Christians in the U.S. have little to no trust in the Democratic Party and view it as antagonistic toward their faith. However, some progressive Christian groups remain hopeful that Democrats can still connect with religious voters. The survey, conducted by Change Research on behalf of the Evangelical advocacy group Vote Common Good, gathered responses from 1,761 Christian voters in early May, with a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points.
The findings reveal that 75% of Christian voters distrust the Democratic Party, with half believing religion is losing influence in American society. Among those concerned about religion’s decline, 62% said they would never vote for a Democrat. Additionally, 58% described the Democratic Party as hostile to Christianity, and 54% felt that Democratic voters themselves were hostile toward the faith. Conversely, trust in the Republican Party was significantly higher: about half of Christians expressed little to no mistrust, while 70% viewed Republicans as friendly to Christianity, with a similar percentage holding positive views of Republican voters.
Doug Pagitt, founder of Vote Common Good, emphasized that Democrats cannot secure majority support without engaging meaningfully with Christian voters, whom he believes have often been overlooked by the party. Despite the stark figures, Pagitt argues there remains an opportunity for Democrats to build trust and relationships within Christian communities. He pointed to a segment of voters with a “low Christian identity”—those for whom faith plays a smaller role in their daily lives—as potential supporters if approached thoughtfully.
Other recent data reinforce the trend of Christian voters leaning Republican. Research from the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University showed that 56% of self-identified Christians voted for Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election, with exit polls indicating a majority of both Protestant and Catholic voters favored Trump over Democrat Kamala Harris. Despite these challenges, Pagitt urges Democratic candidates to communicate openly and sincerely to faith communities, promoting messages of inclusion and respect.
Overall, while the poll underscores the current skepticism many Christians have toward the Democratic Party, it also highlights a pathway for Democrats to reconnect with faith-based voters by addressing their concerns and cultivating genuine relationships.