Candidates and Religion: Voters Want Policy Plans, Not a Profession of Faith

[cleanhippie]

During this election cycle, a lot of candidates have been pandering incessantly to the Religious Right under the assumption that wearing one’s religion on one’s sleeve will mean more votes. Turns out they’re wrong.

A survey conducted by LifeWay Research, which is the research arm of the Southern Baptist Convention, found that just 16 percent of Americans are more likely to vote for a candidate who speaks regularly about his or her religious beliefs. In fact, religious discussion is a turnoff for many voters. Thirty percent of poll respondents said they were less likely to vote for candidates who flaunt their religious commitments. This just goes to show how out of touch some politicians really are.

“Different people get a different picture in their mind when a political candidate shares or shows their religious convictions,” said Scott McConnell, director of LifeWay Research. “While some Americans warm up to this, many don’t see it as a positive.”

The survey also revealed some interesting trends about voting preferences by age and race. Thirty-seven percent of Americans age 65 and over were the most likely to say a candidate’s expressed religious views would have zero influence on their choice of a candidate.

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The least surprising finding was that nonreligious Americans don’t like overly religious candidates. Sixty-seven percent of respondents who do not attend worship services said a candidate’s repeated religious rhetoric would make them “less likely to vote for a candidate.” Just 3 percent would be more likely to vote for the candidate.

http://www.secularnewsdaily.com/2012/01/26/candidates-and-religion-voters-want-policy-plans-not-a-profession-of-faith/

Presidential candidates who share their faith on the campaign trail may not be helping their bid for the nomination, according to a recent LifeWay Research survey of American adults.

The online survey, conducted Sept. 23-26, 2011, asked, "When a candidate running for office regularly expresses religious conviction or activity, how does that impact your vote?"

According to the survey, only 1 in 6 Americans (16 percent) are more likely to vote for a candidate who regularly shares their religious beliefs. While 30 percent indicate they would be less likely to vote for a candidate expressing religious activity, 28 percent say it would have no impact on their choice of candidate. Twenty-one percent of Americans say it would depend on the candidate's religion.

According to age distinctions, the survey revealed younger Americans ages 18-29 (24 percent) and ages 30-49 (24 percent) are more likely to select "depends on the religion" of the candidate. Those age 65 and over are the most likely (37 percent) to say a candidate's expression of religious conviction or activity would have no impact on their choice of candidate.

http://www.lifeway.com/Article/Study-Americans-weigh-in-on-political-candidates-who-express-their-faith