Who Do Non-Religious Democrats Prefer?

[trotsky]

https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/who-do-non-religious-democrats-prefer/

The Democratic Party has a broad and diverse religious coalition — which, as Laura Bronner and I wrote last week, can be challenging for any candidate hoping to use religious rhetoric to rally voters. But what, might you ask, about the Democrats who aren’t religious?

People who identify as atheists, agnostics or “nothing in particular” accounted for 35 percent of Democratic primary voters in 2016, according to the Cooperative Congressional Election Study,1 and as we mentioned in our article, are a growing constituency within the Democratic Party. And according to crosstabs from Morning Consult’s weekly tracking poll for May 20-26, support for Sen. Bernie Sanders is higher among religiously unaffiliated voters than among religiously affiliated voters. Former Vice President Joe Biden, meanwhile, has an edge among religious Democrats.

...At this point in the primary, religiously unaffiliated Democrats seem more open to a candidate who isn’t Biden than their religious counterparts. And while there is some variation in the level of support for Biden, he’s the clear front-runner among several major religious groups. Among nonreligious Democrats, though, Biden is less of a clear favorite. Instead, a plurality (30 percent) of atheists prefer Sanders, while agnostics are split between Biden and Sanders. And although Biden is the favored candidate of 32 percent of Democrats who say they’re “nothing in particular,” nearly one-quarter support Sanders. Meanwhile, Sen. Elizabeth Warren is also somewhat more popular among atheists and agnostics than she is among other religious groups.

...So for the time being, the religiously unaffiliated may remain a largely invisible group within the Democratic Party. But it’s worth watching how this group’s allegiances shift over the course of the primary — because as the number of nonreligious Democrats continues to grow, candidates may need to start figuring out strategies for how to appeal to them more directly.

[Cartoonist]

1. That's how it is for me

I supported Bernie over Hillary last time. I liked how he talked about human solutions to human problems.

I voted for Hillary in the election, and I'll vote for Pete if he gets the nod, but I wish they all would keep their club membership private and work for all of us.

[guillaumeb]

8. Are you implying that some of the candidates do not "work for all..."?

Which religious candidates do you feel fit this category?

[Eugene]

2. The liberal, secular soft-leaning Christian in me does not judge

candidates by religious belief. As long as they don't use it like a truncheon or to divide, I don't have a problem.

[Act_of_Reparation]

3. Generational issues.

Our party leadership is two generations behind those leading the shift towards areligion. I'm not sure they entirely appreciate the magnitude of the shift, or if they're just afraid that appealing to a younger generation of staunch secularists will offend the older, more traditionalist Democrats. In any event, whenever politicians are forced to choose between hanging onto the old or investing in the young, they usually side with the old. I'd like to see the Party truly embrace its most reliable voters, but I get the sneaking suspicion they're going to keep us in the shadows until the Boomers exit stage left.

[MineralMan]

4. As always, I expect all real Democrats will vote for the Democratic nominee,

regardless of who that is. People who don't simply don't fit the definition of a real Democrat, I think.

[trotsky]

6. Indeed.

At this point it's just preferences. But interesting nonetheless to see what groups are supporting whom.

[Runningdawg]

5. Religion makes NO difference

I don't expect any Christian Dominionist to make the cut so I will vote for whomever gets the nod.

[BigmanPigman]

7. This atheist is turned off by any religious

references by all govt officials...separation of Church and State. This goes for the GOP and the Dems. I only vote Dem and I vote for that candidate and hopefully that person is the one chosen to be best at defeating the GOP candidate. Period. However, when it does come down to issues Religion is not on my priority list unless it is being used as an excuse to control me in any way or hurt me financially.