What Catholics Were Thinking on Election Day

The Catholic Thing

By George J. Marlin.
When Donald Trump lost the closely contested 2020 election to Joe Biden, 51 percent of Catholics supported him, as did 61 percent of Evangelicals, and 35 percent of Jewish voters. In 2024, Trump received a majority of the national vote thanks to the support of 58 percent of Catholics, 68 percent of Evangelicals, and 39 percent of Jewish voters. It was a remarkable comeback built on a coalition of middle- and working-class folks of every religion and every ethnicity.
To get a sense of what motivated Catholics and other Americans to vote on November 5, the noted pollsters and Trump advisors McLaughlin Associates performed a national post-election survey that gets into the weeds on issues and attitudes. John McLaughlin, a friend for over 30 years, was kind enough to share with me his findings, some of which surprised me, particularly the polling on abortion.
Here's an overview of the survey's findings:
Of the Catholics who voted for Trump, 90 percent said it was a vote for him. Only 10 said percent it was a vote against Harris. By contrast, 28 percent of Catholics who supported Harris cast an anti-Trump vote.
When Catholics were asked when they knew which presidential candidate they were going to support, 61 percent indicated they decided before Labor Day. Twelve percent were undecided until early November.
A majority of Catholics (56 percent) believe the Republican Party will do a better job addressing issues that matter most to them. Sixty-one percent indicated that the GOP is best suited to improve the economy and to create more jobs. Sixty-three percent of Catholics believe the GOP will secure the border; 58 percent agree that the GOP will be better at fighting crime.
A plurality of all voters (44 percent) favor smaller government and fewer services, with 35 percent supporting increased government largesse. Catholic sentiment was in line with Americans: 48 percent favor less government and 37 percent favor more.
On the issue of character, despite the media's constant bashing of Trump - and Democrats calling him a Nazi, a threat to democracy, and a convicted felon - 51 percent of overall voters and 58 percent of Catholics perceived Trump as the more likable candidate.
For the relevant polling numbers, see the website version of this column.
The most important issue for voters was economics. Forty-seven percent said they were struggling financially as did 49 percent of Catholics.
And the abortion issue?
Election Day was not a good one for the pro-life movement. Pro-abortion referenda won in eight states and lost in only three.
Nationally, abortion was the top issue for 8 percent of voters. For women, it was 10 percent; for men 6 percent. Three percent of Trump voters and 14 percent of Harris supporters considered it highly important. Seven percent of whites, 12 percent of blacks, and 2 percent of Hispanics rated it the number one issue.
Which political party will do a better job of representing their views on abortion?
For the relevant polling numbers and the breakdown between pro-life and pro-choice voters, see the website version of this column.
When asked what comes closest to your personal opinion about abortion laws: Nineteen percent of pro-lifers replied that an abortion should be permitted to save the life of a mother; 31percent in the case of rape or incest; 50 percent in a medical emergency.
Thirty-four percent of pro-choice voters believe abortion should be legal up to 6 weeks; 34 percent up to 24 weeks; and 43 percent said abortion should be legal for any reason at any time.
As for using tax dollars to pay for abortions, the polls can be found on the website version of this column.
What do these polling numbers on abortion indicate?
Sixty years after Vatican II, not only has Catholic influence declined in the public square, but "cafeteria" Catholic politicians who have claimed for decades that abortion is merely a religious matter, and therefore, the Church's position on abortion must not be i...