Although the beginning of Lent calls us to more important matters, it’s worth spending a moment to consider some of the results from yesterday’s Super Tuesday voting.
Everyone understands the big contours of the results: McCain the presumptive nominee, Romney in flames, Clinton a mild favorite over Obama in a race that should go the distance. So let’s zero in on one bit of minutia—how Catholic voters went.
(Four years ago Jody proposed that the “Catholic vote” had become somewhat mythical and no longer represented much of a distinctive political presence. If you’re only going to read one thing about Catholic voters this morning, skip this post and go read Jody’s piece.)
I won’t drag you through all 22 of the states that voted yesterday, so let’s take six of the more important ones—CA, IL, MO, MA, NJ, NY. (I’m picking them because they’re the 6 largest Catholic populations and are 6 of the 8 largest states from yesterday. All exit data can be found at CNN’s site . And I’m leaving Huckabee numbers out only to simplify my life, not to slight him. He had a great night.)
California: Clinton won 52% to 42%. Catholics made up 32% of the Democratic vote. Clinton won them by more than 40 points.
McCain took 42%, Romney 34%. Catholics made up 27% of the GOP vote. McCain won them by about 12 points.
Illinois: Obama won 65% to 33%. Catholics made up 33% of the Democratic vote. Obama had a slight edge (51 to 48) among Catholics who attend church weekly; Clinton had a slight edge (51 to 46) among Catholics who attend less regularly.
McCain took 47%, Romney 29%. Catholics made up 31% of the GOP vote. McCain won them by just under 20 points.
Missouri: Obama won 49% to 48%. Catholics made up 19% of the Democratic vote. Obama won them quite narrowly; he was +8 among weekly churchgoers and +2 among the rest.
McCain took 33%, Romney 29%. Catholics made up 20% of the GOP vote. Big split in the Catholic returns: McCain won weekly church attendees 54 to 20; Romney won less-often attendees 44 to 33.
Massachusetts: Clinton won 56% to 41%. Catholics made up 45% of the Democratic vote. Clinton was a bit more than +30 among them.
Romney took 51%, McCain 41%. Catholics made up 41% of the GOP vote. Romney won Catholics 55 to 39.
New Jersey: Clinton won 54% to 44%. Catholics made up 27% of the Democratic vote. Clinton won them by 40 points.
McCain took 55%, Romney 28%. Catholics made up 57% of the GOP vote. McCain won Catholics by about 26 points.
New York: Clinton won 57% to 40%. Catholics made up 37% of the Democratic vote. Clinton won them by about 35 points.
McCain took 51%, Romney 28%. Catholics made up 45% of the GOP vote. McCain won Catholics by more than 27 points.
