A document titled “Obama winning the faith vote” just landed in God-o-Meter’s inbox, courtesy of the Obama camp’s faith outreach director. God-o-Meter wonders whether this might be a case of deceptive labeling. What appeared to be Obama’s early advantage among religious voters in South Carolina, where his biggest margin of victory was among frequent churchgoers, has turned out to be evidence of his strength among African American voters, who tend to be highly religious. But as the Gallup Poll’s Frank Newport recently noted, Obama’s off-the-charts African American support is likely due much more to race than religion.
Here’s a small sampling of the data the Obama folks are circulating. Notice that it’s only in states with big African American populations, like Maryland and Louisiana, that Obama is winning religious Christians:
Arizona
• 51% of those who attend church more than weekly voted for Obama (47% HRC)
• 56% of those who affiliated themselves with a religion other than Christianity, Islam or Judaism
voted for Obama (40% HRC)
• 50% of White voters who affiliate themselves with a religion other than Christianity or Judaism
voted for Obama (47% HRC)
California
• 50% of those who do not attend church voted for Obama (31% HRC)
• 54% of those who affiliated themselves with a religion other than Christianity, Islam or Judaism
voted for Obama (40% HRC)
• 60% of White voters who affiliate themselves with a religion other than Christianity or Judaism
voted for Obama (30% HRC)
• 49% of those who described themselves as Jewish voted for Obama (47% HRC)
Louisiana
• 66% of those who attend church more than weekly voted for Obama (28% HRC)
• 56% of those who attend church weekly voted for Obama (39% HRC)
• 58% of those who attend church monthly voted for Obama (32% HRC)
• 46% of those who attend church a few times a year voted for Obama (41% HRC)
• 58% of those who described themselves as Protestant voted for Obama (32% HRC)
• 51% of those who described themselves as Catholic voted for Obama (43% HRC)
• 65% of those who affiliated themselves with a religion other than Christianity or Judaism voted
for Obama (32% HRC)
Maryland
• 67% of those who attend church more than weekly voted for Obama (20% HRC)
• 59% of those who attend church weekly voted for Obama (36% HRC)
• 58% of those who attend church monthly voted for Obama (40% HRC)
• 54% of those who attend church a few times a year voted for Obama (43% HRC)
• 51% of those who described themselves as Protestant voted for Obama (44% HRC)
• 74% of those who described themselves as Christian but not Protestant or Catholic (21% HRC)
• 61% of those who affiliated themselves with a religion other than Christianity, Islam or Judaism
voted for Obama(39% HRC)

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