[Linda Frances]

One reason might me the smear campaign on him. The second reason could that many Catholics (like my daughter-in-law) are cafeteria Catholics, who or either liberal or tend to lean liberal, ever if they vote republican. I went to Catholic school for 12 years and then taught CCD for a few years. When I became politically aware, the priest in the different parishes I attended, never spoke of abortion, purity, homosexuality.....hot button issues. It was then I started questioning the church, shouldn't they be at least talking about these issues once a year??? I became an evangelical a few years later.

[ansel12]

One reason might me the smear campaign on him.

That wouldn't explain why as an incumbent Senator running for reelection he won 42% of the white Catholic vote and 71% of white Evangelicals.