EVANGELICAL VOTE DECISIVE IN 2014

Evangelical Vote Played Decisive Role in GOP Wave in 2014 According to Post-Election Survey Conservative Christians made up almost one out of every three voters in the 2014 electorate, playing a decisive role in the Republican wave that resulted in control of the U.S. Senate, a record majority in the U.S. House, and critical victories in governors’ races, according to a post-election survey.  The poll, conducted by Public Opinion Strategies, shows that self-identified conservative Christians made up 32 percent of the electorate and voted 86 percent Republican and only 12 percent Democrat.  These voters contributed roughly 52.4 percent of all the votes received by Republican candidates.  White evangelicals, meanwhile, made up 23 percent of the electorate and voted 82 percent Republican and 18 percent Democratic, according to the survey.  “Conservative voters of faith were the largest constituency in the electorate in 2014,” said Ralph Reed, founder and chairman of the Faith & Freedom Coalition.  “Their share of the electorate exceeded that of the African-American vote, Hispanic vote, and union vote combined.  Religious conservative voters and the issues they care about are here to stay.  They will be equally vital in 2016.  Politicians of both parties ignore this constituency at their peril.” Faithful Roman Catholic voters also contributed to the wave election, comprising 9 percent of the electorate and voting 70 percent Republican and 30 percent Democrat. Glen Bolger of Public Opinion Strategies, which conducted the survey, commented on the findings.  “Republicans rode the wave last night to stunning victories.  Waves come from a committed base and a strong showing among swing voters,” Bolger said.  “Voters of faith--- Protestant and Catholic---are the foundation of the GOP.  Without their overwhelming support, there is no GOP majority.  With their support, Republicans are celebrating a high tide in the U.S. Senate, House, and around the country.” Faith & Freedom Coalition made 102 million voter contacts in 2014 in key states, including mailing voter educational mail pieces to 6 million evangelical voters, making 10 million get-out-the-vote calls, distributing 20 million voter guides in 117,000 churches, emailing or texting 4.6 million voters, running 16 million online video advertisements, and deploying hundreds of volunteers who visited 500,000 homes of faith-based voters.  It was the largest voter education and GOTV effort directed at faith-based voters in a midterm election in modern political history.