43% Would Never Vote for Mormon Candidate In 2008
I have gotten inured to open and unabashed prejudice against gays but it really jumps out at me when I see it directed at other groups. I just cannot believe these statistics supposedly from an educated, intelligent and compassionate nation like the United States. Here is a good man, a capable man and he is being dismissed by nearly half (and in some groups, more than half) of the country solely based on his religion. I have issues with Governor Romney but they are based on the issues themselves, not on his religion. This just saddens me so. http://www.rasmussenreports.com/Political%20Tracking/Dailies/MormanMittRomney.htm Election 2008: 43% Would Never Vote for Mormon Candidate Romney’s Faith May Be Hindrance November 20, 2006 Republican Mitt Romney begins the 2008 campaign season in fourth place among those seeking the GOP Presidential nomination, trailing Rudy Giuliani, John McCain, and Condoleezza Rice. While many Republican insiders believe the Massachusetts Governor could become an attractive candidate to the party’s social conservatives, a Rasmussen Reports survey finds that Romney’s faith may initially be more of a hindrance than a help. Forty-three percent (43%) of American voters say they would never even consider voting for a Mormon Presidential candidate. Only 38% say they would consider casting such a vote while 19% are not sure. Half (53%) of all Evangelical Christians say that they would not consider voting for a Mormon candidate. Overall, 29% of Likely Voters have a favorable opinion of Romney while 30% hold an unfavorable view. Most of those opinions are less than firmly held. Ten percent (10%) hold a very favorable opinion while 11% have a very unfavorable assessment. Among the 41% with no opinion of Romney, just 27% say they would consider voting for a Mormon. It is possible, of course, that these perceptions might change as Romney becomes better known and his faith is considered in the context of his campaign. Currently, just 19% of Likely Voters are able to identify Romney as the Mormon candidate from a list of six potential Presidential candidates. The response to a theoretical Mormon candidate is far less negative than the response to a Muslim candidate or an atheist. Sixty-one percent (61%) of Likely Voters say they would never consider voting for a Muslim Presidential candidate. Sixty percent (60%) say the same about an atheist. The Rasmussen Reports survey found that 35% say that a candidate’s faith and religious beliefs are very important in their voting decision. Another 27% say faith and religious beliefs are somewhat important. Ninety-two percent (92%) of Evangelical Christian voters consider a candidate’s faith and beliefs important. On the partisan front, 78% of Republicans say that a candidate’s faith is an important consideration, a view shared by 55% of Democrats. However, there is also a significant divide on this topic within the Democratic Party. Among minority Democrats, 71% consider faith and religious beliefs an important consideration for voting. Just 44% of white Democrats agree.

Now I want to see the study that shows how many people wouldn't vote for an Italian (Giuliani), a Jew (Lieberman -- not that he's running in '08), or an African American (Obama). Because I think that the numbers wouldn't be too much different, to be honest. It's too bad, really.