Poll: White Working-Class Voters Still Undecided on a Candidate, Still Religious

Religion Today | Updated: Dec 07, 2012

Poll: White Working-Class Voters Still Undecided on a Candidate, Still Religious

A new study from the Public Religion Research Institute shows the white working class -- which makes up 36 percent of the nation -- hasn't settled on either Mitt Romney or President Barack Obama, the Religion News Service reports. "These white working-class voters are not particularly enamored of either candidate," said Daniel Cox, PRRI's research director. "In terms of their favorability, they're both under 50 percent." Forty-four percent have a favorable view of Obama and 45 percent have a favorable view of Romney, but those surveyed prefer the GOP candidate 48 to 35 percent. According to Cox, however, that gap narrows to statistical insignificance among women voters in this group, and in the Midwest and West, home of several swing states. Regarding religion, the survey found that 60 percent of white working-class Americans say religion is important in their lives (compared to 59 percent of Americans in general), and 48 percent go to church at least once a month (compared to 50 percent of all Americans). Half (50 percent) say abortion should be legal in all or most cases, the same percentage that opposes same-sex marriage.



Poll: White Working-Class Voters Still Undecided on a Candidate, Still Religious