(CNSNews.com) - President Barack Obama enjoys a
massive lead over Mitt Romney among registered voters who say they have no
religion, according to the Gallup tracking pollof the presidential race.
In the three-week period that ended on Sept. 2, according to
Gallup, Obama led Romney 69 percent to 23 percent among those who have no
religion. That was exactly the same result Gallup got in the previous
three-week period ending Aug. 26.
Since Gallup started publishing demographic breakouts of its
tracking poll on May 6, Obama has always held a large lead among registered
voters who say they have no religion. Even so, he has managed to grow that
lead.
In the three week period ending May 6, Obama led Romney 63 percent
to 27 percent among registered voters with no religion.
Romney leads Obama in other religious categories that Gallup
tracks. He leads Obama 47 percent to 45 percent among registered votes who say
they are Catholic, 54 percent to 39 percent among those who say they are
Protestant or Christian, 58 percent to 35 percent among those who say they are
“highly religious” and 47 percent to 45 percent among those who say they are
“moderately religious.”
Among registered voters who say they are “nonreligious,” Obama
holds a 62 percent to 31 percent lead—not quite as large as his 69 percent to
23 percent lead among those who say they have no religion.
In the last three presidential elections, Gallup has asked “likely
voters” in its final pre-election surveys whether they attended church weekly,
monthly, or seldom/never. In each of those elections, the Democratic candidate
enjoyed significant majorities among likely voters who said they seldom or
never attended church.
In the final pre-election surveys in 2008, Obama led McCain 62 percent to 38 percent among likely voters who said they seldom or never went to church. In 2004, John Kerry led George W. Bush 60 percent to 40 percent among those voters. And, in 2000, Al Gore led Bush 51 percent to 40 percent among those voters.
In the final pre-election surveys in 2008, Obama led McCain 62 percent to 38 percent among likely voters who said they seldom or never went to church. In 2004, John Kerry led George W. Bush 60 percent to 40 percent among those voters. And, in 2000, Al Gore led Bush 51 percent to 40 percent among those voters.
By contrast, in each of those elections, the Republican candidate
enjoyed a large pre-election lead among likely voters who said they attended
church weekly. In 2008, McCain led Obama 55 percent to 45 percent among these
voters. In 2004, Bush led Kerry 63 percent to 37 percent among these voters.
And, in 2000, Bush led Gore 56 percent to 41 percent.
Obama, in 2008, was the only one of the last three Democratic
candidates to hold a pre-election lead among likely voters who attend church
only monthly. That year, he led McCain 51 percent to 49 percent among this
group. In 2004, Bush led Kerry 55 percent to 45 percent among likely voters who
said they attended church monthly. And, in 2000, Bush led Gore 51 percent to 47
percent among these voters.
Gallup's demographic numbers for registered voters are based on a
three-week rolling average. In the three weeks leading up to Sept. 2, the
polling firm interviewed 9,666 registered voters. 1,282 of these registered
voters said they had no religion, 2,055 said they were Catholic, and 5,399 said
they were Protestant or Christian. At the same time, 2,807 said they were
"nonreligious," 2,504 said they were "moderately
religious," and 4,225 said they were "highly religious."