Poll Finds Familiar Religious Divisions in Presidential Race

September 19, 2008

Author: Stephanie Warsmith

Source: The Beacon Journal

http://www.ohio.com/news/break_news/28668694.html

Evangelical Protestants and non-Latino Catholics are backing Sen. John McCain for president.

Black Protestants, Jews and atheists prefer Sen. Barack Obama.

In other words, the breakdown of support for the Republican and Democratic candidates is similar to that seen in the 2004 presidential election.

These are among the findings of a national poll released this afternoon by the University of Akron's Ray C. Bliss Institute of Applied Politics.

John Green, director of the institute, unveiled the poll at the annual Religion Newswriters Association Conference in Washington, D.C.

Green said the similarity to the results of the last presidential election was surprising, especially given the intense focus on religion during this campaign.