Romney/Ryan is first major party ticket with no Protestant on it.

[Rhodie]

I think we should all admit that white Catholics are the most powerful swing voters in this country.  The republicans know that the southern evangelicals will always vote for them. 

Now in order to win the swing states, the GOP needs to appeal to the "Reagan Democrats" which are essentially white Catholics (who voted for Kennedy, FDR, etc.). 

The southern evangelicals may stay home, but then they concede to the half-black Obama and the Liberal Democrats. 

Catholic Paul Ryan ensures Romney victories in Iowa, Ohio, Florida, and Wisconsin. 

No, because the Catholic vote is now so fragmented that I doubt it will transform into a bloc vote.

[Torie]

Oh the LDS is Protestant enough for government work. As one with no particular dog in the hunt, I am often quite amused by the proprietary attitude about branding of all the little sects that compete with each other for adherents.  It's quite ludicrous really. And the Catholics are closer to mainline Protestantism in general, than mainliners are to many of the other "Protestant" sects.

And just who gives a damn anyway?

[Brittain33]

The Catholic vote is indistinguishable from the American electorate as a whole.

[Zioneer]

Interestingly enough, with Romney, Biden and the Prohibition Party ticket (which still exists), there are 4 non-drinkers on presidential tickets this year.

Oh, and Mormons are Protestant Christians, just to let you know. Odd ones yes, but still Protestants.

[Brittain33]

Oh, and Mormons are Protestant Christians, just to let you know. Odd ones yes, but still Protestants.

I don't have a dog in the hunt, but that is a very contentious point of view. Mormons may believe they are in the Protestant tradition, but lots of Protestant sects don't even accept they are Christian.

[California8429]

Interestingly enough, with Romney, Biden and the Prohibition Party ticket (which still exists), there are 4 non-drinkers on presidential tickets this year.

Oh, and Mormons are Protestant Christians, just to let you know. Odd ones yes, but still Protestants.

They consider themselves Protestant Christians, but many Protestants don't actually consider them Protestant.

[Wisconsin+17]

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No, they aren't. They have very different theology from Protestants.

[Torie]

Oh, and Mormons are Protestant Christians, just to let you know. Odd ones yes, but still Protestants.

I don't have a dog in the hunt, but that is a very contentious point of view. Mormons may believe they are in the Protestant tradition, but lots of Protestant sects don't even accept they are Christian.

Some Protestant sects don't consider Catholics Christian.

[Brittain33]

Oh, and Mormons are Protestant Christians, just to let you know. Odd ones yes, but still Protestants.

I don't have a dog in the hunt, but that is a very contentious point of view. Mormons may believe they are in the Protestant tradition, but lots of Protestant sects don't even accept they are Christian.

Some Protestant sects don't consider Catholics Christian.

Very true. It would be easier not to play the game at all... but if I can't resist being baited by NY Jew on a similar topic...

[Torie]

Oh, and Mormons are Protestant Christians, just to let you know. Odd ones yes, but still Protestants.

I don't have a dog in the hunt, but that is a very contentious point of view. Mormons may believe they are in the Protestant tradition, but lots of Protestant sects don't even accept they are Christian.

Some Protestant sects don't consider Catholics Christian.

Very true. It would be easier not to play the game at all... but if I can't resist being baited by NY Jew on a similar topic...

And then there is the attitude of the Orthodox Jews (many of them), about Reform Jews, whom many consider the next best thing to Godless.

Oh my, I added my bit while Brittain33 added his bit independently on exactly the same thing. Brittain33 we may be becoming clones of each other. Ponder that for awhile.

[milhouse24]

The Catholic vote is indistinguishable from the American electorate as a whole.

That is certainly a superficial remark, and perhaps alludes to America being more atheist and secular.  

Different states have different demographics.  Reagan really brought white Catholics into the mainstream.  He was part Irish.  But then again, most of the country voted for Reagan.  The great fear is that Catholics going back to the working class/pro-immigrant Democrat Party.  Many Kennedy Catholics and Norrthern Catholics are socially liberal.  

Ohio is the perfect bellweather state because it has a mix of Catholics and Protestants, and high number of working class voters.  

Its not specifically the religion label, but how the candidate speaks culturally to religious groups.  Rick Santorum appealed strongly to Evangelicals.  George W Bush appealed to Catholics.  Paul Ryan should be able to cross over to Evangelicals and also connect to devout Catholic voters.  

Pollsters look for anything that gives them an advantage, and present day, a Catholic appeals to swing voters far more than a evangelical candidate.

[milhouse24]

No, because the Catholic vote is now so fragmented that I doubt it will transform into a bloc vote.

The USA is becoming more Catholic as a whole, especially with more Hispanic immigrants. 

It makes complete sense for the GOP to embrace Catholic candidates if they want to survive for the next 50 years. 

Democrats think they have a lock on Hispanic and Catholic voters, but that will go away. 

Its pretty cool to think that Catholics have taken over from the Protestants as the most powerful religious group in the country. 

[Rhodie]

No, because the Catholic vote is now so fragmented that I doubt it will transform into a bloc vote.

The USA is becoming more Catholic as a whole, especially with more Hispanic immigrants. 

It makes complete sense for the GOP to embrace Catholic candidates if they want to survive for the next 50 years. 

Democrats think they have a lock on Hispanic and Catholic voters, but that will go away. 

Its pretty cool to think that Catholics have taken over from the Protestants as the most powerful religious group in the country. 

The GOP already has many Catholic politicians. But voting patterns simply have lost their sectarian character.

[Frodo]

No, because the Catholic vote is now so fragmented that I doubt it will transform into a bloc vote.

The USA is becoming more Catholic as a whole, especially with more Hispanic immigrants.  

It makes complete sense for the GOP to embrace Catholic candidates if they want to survive for the next 50 years.  

Democrats think they have a lock on Hispanic and Catholic voters, but that will go away.  

Its pretty cool to think that Catholics have taken over from the Protestants as the most powerful religious group in the country.  

That would be true if Hispanics as a bloc remain true to their Catholic heritage, but with so many (even in their countries-of-origin) turning toward evangelical Protestant sects as an alternative, I am not so sure.  

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Where is the evangelical Protestant? I don't see one. Neither party has a Protestant in the ticket.

Is that important to you?

[Stranger in a strange land]

I think we should all admit that white Catholics are the most powerful swing voters in this country.  The republicans know that the southern evangelicals will always vote for them. 

Now in order to win the swing states, the GOP needs to appeal to the "Reagan Democrats" which are essentially white Catholics (who voted for Kennedy, FDR, etc.). 

The southern evangelicals may stay home, but then they concede to the half-black Obama and the Liberal Democrats. 

Catholic Paul Ryan ensures Romney victories in Iowa, Ohio, Florida, and Wisconsin. 

Reagan Democrats did exist, but by and large, they weren't the people the media describes as Reagan Democrats. For the most part, they were conservative, traditionally Democratic white and rural Southerners, they type who had voted Wallace in '68, Nixon in '72, Carter in '76, and Reagan in '80 and '84, and who have been reliably Republican since. Reagan didn't win over working-class White Catholics in the North anywhere near as much as the popular mythology holds: just look at the county results from 1984 if you don't believe me.

[All Along The Watchtower]

I think we should all admit that white Catholics are the most powerful swing voters in this country.  The republicans know that the southern evangelicals will always vote for them. 

Now in order to win the swing states, the GOP needs to appeal to the "Reagan Democrats" which are essentially white Catholics (who voted for Kennedy, FDR, etc.). 

The southern evangelicals may stay home, but then they concede to the half-black Obama and the Liberal Democrats. 

Catholic Paul Ryan ensures Romney victories in Iowa, Ohio, Florida, and Wisconsin. 

Reagan Democrats did exist, but by and large, they weren't the people the media describes as Reagan Democrats. For the most part, they were conservative, traditionally Democratic white and rural Southerners, they type who had voted Wallace in '68, Nixon in '72, Carter in '76, and Reagan in '80 and '84, and who have been reliably Republican since. Reagan didn't win over working-class White Catholics in the North anywhere near as much as the popular mythology holds: just look at the county results from 1984 if you don't believe me.

This.

[Frodo]

Where is the evangelical Protestant? I don't see one. Neither party has a Protestant in the ticket.

You don't consider President Obama a Protestant?  Muslim insinuations aside, his background has been largely Protestant (in an African-American sense).  

[Simfan34]

What we need is more Episcopalians.

[minionofmidas]

Where is the evangelical Protestant? I don't see one. Neither party has a Protestant in the ticket.

You don't consider President Obama a Protestant?    

I made that joke already. It's pretty clear he meant a White Conservative Protestant.

[TJ in Oregon]

No, because the Catholic vote is now so fragmented that I doubt it will transform into a bloc vote.

The USA is becoming more Catholic as a whole, especially with more Hispanic immigrants. 

It makes complete sense for the GOP to embrace Catholic candidates if they want to survive for the next 50 years. 

Democrats think they have a lock on Hispanic and Catholic voters, but that will go away. 

Its pretty cool to think that Catholics have taken over from the Protestants as the most powerful religious group in the country. 

The bolded part is false. The US is not becoming more Catholic. Immigrants to the US as a whole are about 40% Catholic, but this only modest increase only offsets the loss of Catholics already here in conversions. The Catholic Church only keeps about 68% of its followers from one generation to the next, truthfully a higher percentage than almost all of the Protestant sects, but the Catholic Church only attracts a very small number of converts compared to other sects, so the overall percentage would be decreasing with no immigration. The two effects roughly offset.

[TeePee4Prez]

This will be the first all non-WASP (or Scotch-Irish Protestant) ticket on both sides in history!

[milhouse24]

No, because the Catholic vote is now so fragmented that I doubt it will transform into a bloc vote.

The USA is becoming more Catholic as a whole, especially with more Hispanic immigrants. 

It makes complete sense for the GOP to embrace Catholic candidates if they want to survive for the next 50 years. 

Democrats think they have a lock on Hispanic and Catholic voters, but that will go away. 

Its pretty cool to think that Catholics have taken over from the Protestants as the most powerful religious group in the country. 

The bolded part is false. The US is not becoming more Catholic. Immigrants to the US as a whole are about 40% Catholic, but this only modest increase only offsets the loss of Catholics already here in conversions. The Catholic Church only keeps about 68% of its followers from one generation to the next, truthfully a higher percentage than almost all of the Protestant sects, but the Catholic Church only attracts a very small number of converts compared to other sects, so the overall percentage would be decreasing with no immigration. The two effects roughly offset.

But the other immigrants are likely Muslims, Indian-Hindus, Asian-buddists/atheists.  So its not like the WASP population is growing in the US from more WASP immigrants. 

[TJ in Oregon]

No, because the Catholic vote is now so fragmented that I doubt it will transform into a bloc vote.

The USA is becoming more Catholic as a whole, especially with more Hispanic immigrants. 

It makes complete sense for the GOP to embrace Catholic candidates if they want to survive for the next 50 years. 

Democrats think they have a lock on Hispanic and Catholic voters, but that will go away. 

Its pretty cool to think that Catholics have taken over from the Protestants as the most powerful religious group in the country. 

The bolded part is false. The US is not becoming more Catholic. Immigrants to the US as a whole are about 40% Catholic, but this only modest increase only offsets the loss of Catholics already here in conversions. The Catholic Church only keeps about 68% of its followers from one generation to the next, truthfully a higher percentage than almost all of the Protestant sects, but the Catholic Church only attracts a very small number of converts compared to other sects, so the overall percentage would be decreasing with no immigration. The two effects roughly offset.

But the other immigrants are likely Muslims, Indian-Hindus, Asian-buddists/atheists.  So its not like the WASP population is growing in the US from more WASP immigrants. 

No, the WASP percentage is shrinking rather quickly. But it isn't the Catholic percentage that's increasing, it's the none/other.

[Oswald Acted Alone, You Kook]

Last I checked Mormons were Protestants.