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 Mitt Romney, left, won more Ohio Catholics on Tuesday than Rick Santorum.
March 7th, 2012
03:53 AM ET
Loudly Catholic Santorum loses Ohio CatholicsBy Dan Gilgoff, CNN.com Religion Editor (CNN) - Rick Santorum, a conservative Catholic who is outspoken about faith-based issues, lost Catholic voters by a wide margin in Ohio on Tuesday, potentially a key factor that allowed Mitt Romney to squeak out the narrowest of victories overall in the state. According to CNN’s exit polls, Romney took 43% of Ohio Catholics on Super Tuesday, compared to 31% for Rick Santorum, and Romney beat Santorum overall by 38% to 37%. Read how Santorum fared Tuesday Catholic voters accounted for a third of Ohio’s Republican electorate, the largest share of Catholics in any Super Tuesday state. Delegate tracker | Delegate calculator “The margin of Romney's win among Ohio Catholics is surprising, given Santorum's traditional Catholicism,” says John Green, a political science professor at the University of Ohio. “Romney's margin among Ohio Catholics - especially in the three largest metropolitan areas - may account for his close win in Ohio.” Green notes that Romney, a Mormon, has consistently won the Catholic vote in this year’s Republican primaries. That pattern runs counter to speculation that Catholics would focus more on hot-button issues at a time when Catholic bishops are battling the Obama White House over government-mandated contraception coverage. Get the latest news on Santorum's campaign Romney has denounced the Obama administration’s contraception rule but Santorum has gone further, making social issues a cornerstone of his campaign. Last week, the former Pennsylvania senator said that John F. Kennedy’s 1960 speech in which the then-presidential candidate advocated an absolute separation of church and state nearly made him throw up. The Catholic vote is one of the largest swing blocs in the country, voting for the winning presidential candidates from both parties in recent elections. But the bloc is so diverse, including many Catholics who differ with church leaders on social issues and many who have drifted from the church, that many religious and political experts dismiss any notion of a “Catholic vote.” Read how Santorum plans to fight to the end In Ohio, the most contested of the 10 states to cast ballots on Tuesday, Catholics represented one of GOP primary’s main constituencies. Another major bloc, white evangelicals, comprised almost half of the Ohio vote, and broke for Santorum over Romney by 47% to 30%. One progressive Catholic group made political hay out of Santorum’s weak showing among Ohio Catholics, emailing reporters a statement titled “Santorum campaigns on divisive wedge issues, promptly loses Catholic vote.” Five things we learned from Super Tuesday “Catholic voters care more about economic issues that affect their families than they do about socially divisive wedge issues like contraception,” said James Salt, executive director of Catholics United, in the statement. “Mainstream Catholics want leaders who can address the moral challenges of our day like income inequality, underwater mortgages and poverty,” Salt continued, “not leaders who perpetuate a never-ending culture war that divides our community.”
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The overwhelming majority of Catholics are not "conservetive catholics". The are nothing like evangelicals. They practiced birth control way back and against the churchs teachings. They are very opened minded and sceintically inclined. Catholic parents take their children to church because they want them to believe in God and they believe it gives them a good moral foundation. They do not live and breathe the bibles teachings. Sunday church is like a weekly outing and then later its time with the family and a barbeque and cold beer.
Its a cultural and geographic thing
In the north east we REJECT the southern religion is the center of society thing.
Catholics up here have an opposition force that slowly drags them in modernity
False Catholics and trolls all here to comment ...
mat
Capitalize your name.
Otherwise people will think your and indoctrinated idiot.
William only insults and nonsense.
As a Catholic, I think the disconnect between the Church and the voters is pretty obvious. The current Church leadership (ranging from my local priest to the bishop) has simply lost any moral authority to push us to vote one way or another. Most of us are Catholics because we believe in the Sacraments, not because we need the Church for moral guidance. It's as if the Church fails to understand the repercussions that come from raping innocent boys and covering it up. I used to look at my priest as a man with upmost moral authority – now I'm simply not so sure. Thus, I use my own mind and my own interpretation of the Bible to make decisions. I think that's what most of us are doing. I couldn't care less that my priest wants me to vote for Santorum.
In short – you are a protestant who simply chooses to worship in a Catholic Church – yea, we got it.
Again – it's about the Sacraments. That's what makes me Catholic. It's also the primary seperation between Catholic and Protestants. Recognizing the failure in Church leadership doesn't make one a Protestant. It just means that I'm not going to blindly follow. I remember at least one other Person who decided that blindly following the leadership of His religion was a bad idea.
Ubi Petrus, ibi Ecclesia
Clay,
There is always a Protestant Church waiting for you.
The RCC has self-destructed in the past 20 years and is in a downward spiral that seems to know no ends.
Their last hope is to come out big for immigration reform in the hopes of growing their ranks with illegal immigrants.
"Excellent" anti-Catholic article.
But some believe the polls?......
And how many untruths in the comments....
In the United States there are so many real Catholics, totally with Jesus and his Church.
There are also some false Catholics, as everywhere and in any religion.
Glory to Jesus.
SO I guess the whole priests predator thing dosen't matter at all?
William: only insults and nonsense.
I keep seeing this comment " Rick Santorum is not a traditional Catholic" and then you try and tell yourself Mormons are Christians . Mormons was created 160 years ago. If your a Christian and think John Smith is a Messiah, good luck with that one when you meet your real God.
False Catholics and fakes all here to comment ...
THE HYPOCRISY OF CHRISTIAN VOTERS IS MIND BOGGLING ! They have excuses for everything .
Mormons are not a Christian religion. It is a CULT, It was created 160 years ago by a man name John Smith. The Book of Mormons has nothing in common with the Bible. Except they use the same names. And Jesus is not even the son of God. There is no Mary. I am not a very religous person but the hyprocrisy of the Christian followers is insane. Basesd in republicans Jesus has come back everyday because they keep re-writing the Bible everyday.
Rick Santorum is not a traditional Catholic. He's a traditional bigot. Two different things. Not all Catholics are bigots, thanks. Santurom is making a bad name for us. Soon, the nation will think all Catholics are as whacked as he is.
Santorum is focusing on hot-button social issues in an attempt to placate the evangelical Conservatives, who normally wouldn't be all that comfortable voting for a Catholic. However, having a Mormon as a front-runner has caused a division among evangelicals. The anti-Mormon bigots among them won't vote for a Mormon even if it means another four years of Obama. The others, who can rationally set aside religious intolerance, see Romney as a person who can reach the voters in the middle. With a bad economy working in their favor, the GOP would be foolish to throw the election away because of anti-Mormon bigotry or a willingness to bring back the culture war of the '60s.
I get upset when I read stuff that says Rick is just acting for votes.
Give him the credit he deserves, he really is that crazy
Maybe Catholic folks don't like being told how to be Catholic (by Sanatarium and the pope who is non-american anyway). Maybe they like the exercise their god-given free will and worship god how they want to and not according to some power-hungry Hitler Youth pedophile protector and his "little boots" Sanatarium Caligula.
If you don't worship as a Catholic then by definition you are no longer Catholic. No matter what you call yourself. Faith isn't there to make you feel good, it's there to make you a better person. You don't improve yourself by doing whatever you want.
Maybe this is the real reason Catholicism is in trouble in the US.
"Maybe this is the real reason Catholicism is in trouble in the US."
Let's hope it gets washed down the drain in the near future. What a bunch of nut jobs.
Ned Stark
Not according to Christ you aren't.
Do you want to countermand him oh great zealot?
So Ned, since 90-95% of Catholics use or have used contraception, I guess your church is much much much smaller than folks claim?
Seriously?? Ohio Catholics chose a Mormon over a fellow Catholic? What's that about? There's even honor among thieves.
I think it goes like this: They know that running full throttle with divisive religious views costs them their supremist dignity. If they openly attack anyone that doesn't adhere to their religious based politics, they get called bigots and more by the media. If however, they flock to a snake in the grass like Romney, he'll tell everyone what they want to hear and then when the opportunity arises to force their religious agenda, they know he'll suddenly fully support them and it will be too late for all the moderates and independants that were fooled by his campaign. Supporting Santorum would sink their agenda.
WWJVF? That's Christian for who would Jesus vote for.
I'm a practicing Catholic but Rick Santorum in no way represents the Roman Catholic Church that I attend. He's full of hate, bigotry, and divisiveness. He's also a big proponent of moving civil and women's rights back to the Middle Ages. I think Rick missed a few centuries of Catholic teachings. He's an embarrassment and I really wish he'd stop telling people he's a Catholic. Through his words and actions, he's not even a Christian. No surprise why Catholics are disenchanted with Santorum and the rest of the GOP at this point in time.
YOU SOUND LIKE A TYPICAL CATHOLIC- IGNORANT- AND I KNOW YOU HAVE NEVER READ THE BIBLE THROUGH NOT EVEN ONCE!- AND YOU VOTE FOR A MORMAN WHO THINKS THAT CHRIST IS A RUNNER UP TO SMITH- ARE YOU STILL ABLE TO FOLLOW ME- NO THERE IS HATE- WHAT DID YOU SAY ABOUT HATE AND SANTORUM- I THINK YOU NEED TO GO TO CONFESSION MY BOY AND SAY A ROSARY WHILE YOUR AT IT!
Jared,as a Catholic, I agree with you totally. Santorum is full of smug self-righteousness and does not represent most Catholics.
look at the rabid catholic SCREAM!! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH
Manion is a Minion....
Then how about both of you stand up to politicians and everyday people that behave this way so our society can grow together instead of being divided by this nonesense? I for one am tired of religious folk with the "it's not ME, I didn't do THAT" response to the divisive hatred they allow to foster right under their nose.
This is not at all surprising to anyone that knows any Catholics in real life, as opposed to just reading stories about the nonsense spewed by the Catholic church. Real, live US Catholics have almost nothing in common politically with conservative/evangelical religious voters, or even the Catholic church itself, other than abortion.
As a catholic, please do not lump us in with Santorum. Every time I hear Santorum speak all I can hear is the song "The Voice of God is Government" by Bad Religion.
Nice to see another fan of Dr. Graffin on here.
"Can't you see what we believe in, all our thoughts, all our reasons,
Pursuit of life and liberty and happiness we cannot see?
Speak of truth with a mighty voice, but politics are your real choice.
Hire men to change the law, protect and serve with one small flaw.
Voice of God is government. In God we trust, sinners repent!"
Then stand up to people like him before they get as far as he has and put an end to it. I have to lump you in, you're letting it happen!!!!
Why did CNN go to James Salt - a Democratic Party operative (former faith-outreach for the Kansas Democratic Party and now affiliated with the Democratic Party's Alliance for the Common Good - to get a comment on what Catholic Republicans were thinking when they voted for Romney? Doesn't CNN know any Republicans? Salt is a pro-abortion "Catholic," not a real one who heeds the Church's moral teachings.
Emma, CNN is so closely affiliated with the Democratic Party they would have get permission from the DNC and Jay Carney to talk with a Republican about anything. CNN runs its news stories past a DNC reviewer before they go on the air.
It amazes me when people say "they are not a real Catholic", etc. Catholics in general lean Democrat but are more likely to be an independent than followers of other religions. I guess you didn't see the election coverage last night with 2 Republican operatives, 2 Democrat operatives, and 2 unbiased commentators. Or the quotes in the article from multiple sources.
Don't come down on Cat licks..I'm one......While I believe very deeply in my faith i'm also not a Catholic sheep.... I am totally against abortion yet I believe in the end it's the woman final choice....I just don't want my tax dollars paying for
needless abortions....I believe women should be ordained....Priest's should be able to marry if they want...The church has done many wrongs...but also alot of rights...religion is a personal thing, till it becomes extreme.....to the point of telling other people what to do......That is Rck Santorum...!!!.
Sanctus Sanctorum imagines runninng the USA as a papal colony. He's not a Catholic who is willing to accept the will of the people. His remarks on JFK are deeply troubling.
Santorum is all about religion being part of our government, as long as it is HIS religion. Would he support a Muslim president as passionately?
Unibob - We have a Muslim President and Santorum doesn't support him.
Catholics don't like it when you say JFK makes you wanna vomit.
That is a fact.