Religious Latinos are more Democratic than non-Latinos and are more supportive of gay marriage, according to a new survey from Pew Hispanic Center and Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life.
Latino Catholic and religiously unaffiliated registered voters prefer President Obama to Governor Mitt Romney, while Latino evangelical voters are more divided, according to a recent NBC Latino article. Almost three-quarters of Latino Catholics support Obama, and about one in five support Romney. Support is more divided with non-Hispanic white Catholics; 47 percent favor Obama and 46 percent favor Romney.
Eighty-two percent of Latinos who are not strongly religious support Obama while 7 percent would vote for Romney, according to the study. Half of Latino evangelical voters support Obama, and 39 percent support Romney.
Latino evangelicals are the ‘swing voters’ in the Hispanic electorate, according to the article. Latino evangelicals voted for George W. Bush In 2004, but voted for Obama in 2008. The group is more conservative on abortion and homosexuality than other Latinos, but for the first time, more approve of same sex marriage than oppose.
The poll found that Latino voters in general back Democrats over Republicans, 70 percent to 22 percent. Latino Catholic voters support Democrats over Republicans by 71 to 21 percent, Protestants support Democrats over Republicans 56 percent to 31 percent, and among Latino evangelicals, 52 percent of registered voters lean toward the Democrats and 36 percent to the Republicans.
