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Americans Reject Atheist, Muslim in White House
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Many adults in the United States would avoid a presidential contender with specific religious traits, according to a poll by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press. 61 per cent of respondents would be less likely to support a candidate who does not believe in God, and 45 per cent feel the same way about a Muslim.
In addition, 25 per cent of respondents would be less likely to vote for a Mormon in a presidential election, and fewer than 20 per cent would reject a candidate who is an evangelical Christian, Hispanic, a woman, Jewish, Catholic or black.
More than 10 per cent of respondents say they would be more likely to support an evangelical Christian, a woman or a Catholic presidential contender.
The next presidential election is scheduled for November 2008. The Democratic Party’s candidates include Illinois senator Barack Obama, the son of a white mother and a black father; New York senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, who is the only woman in the race; and New Mexico governor Bill Richardson, the son of a Mexican mother. Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, a Mormon, is seeking the Republican Party’s nomination.
On Sept. 12, Romney rejected the notion that his religion is a liability, saying, "Right now I am not terribly well known across the country. (...) In politics you can never say things are fine, but I don’t believe my weaknesses will be related to my faith. I think they will find other places to attack me."
Polling Data
Regardless of the specific candidates who are running for president, we’d like to know how you generally feel about some different traits. First, would you be more likely or less likely to support a candidate for president who (see below), or wouldn’t this matter to you?
|
More |
Less |
Wouldn’t |
Unsure |
|
|
Does not believe in God |
3% |
61% |
34% |
2% |
|
Is Muslim |
3% |
45% |
49% |
3% |
|
Is Mormon |
5% |
25% |
66% |
4% |
|
Is an evangelical Christian |
19% |
16% |
60% |
5% |
|
Is Hispanic |
9% |
15% |
75% |
1% |
|
Is a woman |
15% |
12% |
72% |
1% |
|
Is Jewish |
9% |
11% |
79% |
1% |
|
Is Catholic |
13% |
7% |
79% |
1% |
|
Is black |
9% |
6% |
84% |
1% |