In Defying the Odds, we talk about the social and economic divides that enabled Trump to enter the White House. In Divided We Stand, we discuss how these divides played out in 2020.
Public Religion Research Institute:
Both major political parties are majority Christian, with 83% of Republicans and 69% of Democrats identifying as Christian. The biggest difference in the religious makeup of self-identified Republicans and Democrats is the proportion of white Christians compared to Christians of color and the religiously unaffiliated. Two-thirds of Republicans (68%) identify as white and Christian, compared to 39% of Democrats. Among Republicans, 29% are white evangelical Protestants, 22% are white mainline Protestants, and 15% are white Catholics. Among Democrats, those numbers fall to 9%, 16%, and 13%, respectively.
By contrast, 13% of Democrats are Black Protestants, 10% are Hispanic Catholics, and 4% are Hispanic Protestants, compared to only 2%, 3%, and 3%, respectively, among Republicans. Nearly one in four Democrats (23%) are religiously unaffiliated, compared to 13% of Republicans.
The religious makeup of Democrats generally resembles that of younger Americans ages 18–29, who are 27% white Christian, 26% Christian of color, 7% another religion, and 36% unaffiliated, and ages 30–49, who are 40% white Christian, 32% Christian of color, 4% another religion, and 23% unaffiliated. The Republican breakdown is more akin to groups of Americans over age 65, who are 59% white Christian, 20% Christian of color, 4% another religion, and 14% unaffiliated. Notably, no age group is as white and Christian as Republicans.
