Loudly Catholic Santorum loses Ohio Catholics

CNN ^ | 3/7/12 | Dan Gilgoff

[marshmallow]

(CNN) - Rick Santorum, a conservative Catholic who is outspoken about faith-based issues, lost Catholic voters by a wide margin in Ohio on Tuesday, potentially a key factor that allowed Mitt Romney to squeak out the narrowest of victories overall in the state.

According to CNN’s exit polls, Romney took 43% of Ohio Catholics on Super Tuesday, compared to 31% for Rick Santorum, and Romney beat Santorum overall by 38% to 37%.

Catholic voters accounted for a third of Ohio’s Republican electorate, the largest share of Catholics in any Super Tuesday state.

“The margin of Romney's win among Ohio Catholics is surprising, given Santorum's traditional Catholicism,” says John Green, a political science professor at the University of Ohio. “Romney's margin among Ohio Catholics - especially in the three largest metropolitan areas - may account for his close win in Ohio.”

Green notes that Romney, a Mormon, has consistently won the Catholic vote in this year’s Republican primaries. That pattern runs counter to speculation that Catholics would focus more on hot-button issues at a time when Catholic bishops are battling the Obama White House over government-mandated contraception coverage.

Romney has denounced the Obama administration’s contraception rule but Santorum has gone further, making social issues a cornerstone of his campaign. Last week, the former Pennsylvania senator said that John F. Kennedy’s 1960 speech in which the then-presidential candidate advocated an absolute separation of church and state nearly made him throw up.

[Vigilanteman]

Seven reasons for Rick Santorum

1. Who has won the most states without the benefit of their own money, last election's organization or a billionaire casino sugar daddy?
   
2. Who is everybody's second choice when he isn't their first?
   
3. Who can get both the Romney people and the Gingrich people, who hate each other, to vote for him?
   
4. Who has the best record on immigration?
   
5. Who has the best plan for repealing ObamaCare? And is the only GOP candidate who didn't help write or approve legislation which helped spawn this fiasco?
   
6. Who has the best plan for expanding the American economy and strengthening American families?
   
7. Who is the closest thing we have to the "generic Republican" which polls show consistently beating Obama and is most likely to make the election about Obama's sorry record rather than about himself?

[trailhkr1]

Unfgortunately, just like Romney, many Catholics tend to be pro-abortion.

False. I'm Catholic and I know very few Catholics who believe in abortion. Now BC that is another matter.

[cripplecreek]

They go from thread to thread only to slam Rick.

Ya sure called that one correctly.

"Various are the pleas and arguments which men of corrupt minds frequently urge against yielding obedience to the just and holy commands of God."

-Reverend George Whitfield.

[Bizhvywt]

Do “devout Catholics” believe in tithing 10%? It amazes me that Santorum received evangelical support after giving only 2% of his $4 million in income to charity.

[CTrent1564]

marshmallow:

So by my count, 43% for Romney vs 31% for Santorum equals 74%. What about the other 26% of Catholic vote. Obviously, the 31% that went for Santorum plus the 26% that went for Newt or Ron Paul means that 57% of the Catholic vote was split among Santorum [Catholic], Newt [Recently received into Full communion in the Catholic Church] and Ron Paul [I have no idea what his religous affiliation is].

So again, when you see statistics like this reported by the media, and in this case any media, CNN, Fox, WSJ, NYT, WashPo, etc, etc, always read more into it as reporters like to report things to shape the story the way they want to. In this case, CNN’s article implies that Romney won all of the “Catholic vote” in Ohio, what he won was a plurality and in political terms a 57% vote against someone is in football terms a “Rear end kicking.”

[Preachin']

“That’s because Catholics in the USA are union first.”

I have said that for many years. That is not a slight against Catholics, as many union voters will place the union goals above things they would otherwise hold in high regard.

Some are just okay with slighting others, so long as they get that fat paycheck, or a long drink from the government teet.

[massgopguy]

I voted for him yesterday. I am a Grand Knight in the Knights of Columbus. Rick Santorum is also a Knight. Now you all and I know that. No one else asked me if I was Catholic and who I voted for.

[nandrew]

Do you mean 50 % of Catholics are non practicing? Non believers?
That’s silly. There must be some other reason

[mosesdapoet]

The Demo-Coms and their demo-comic followers in the media were allowed to obfuscate eugenics which is an integral part of Obama/Romneycare and reduce it into the mourning pill.

There are two issues here. Obama and his Demo-comic followers which includes a CINO (who should be excomminicated period) are preaching eugenics, population control. which is part of the Obamacare package. They are on record and actually say so. I am not going to reference it here but their statements are out there.

The second issue is its constitutionality imposing government position on religious groups. And BTW one graoup has been excluded on the Health care ...the Amish

.Demanding changes of acceptance in core cultural values held by religious groups and advancing eugenics meaning infantacide and condeming seniors to soylent green centers certainly does have a place in the political discussion. Particularly when that is being shoved on religious groups by the Demo-Coms . Especially when they’re ignoring constitutional rights...Two groups late in the last century led in that development the Nazis and the Communists. The Nazis began with smoking then terminating Down Syndrome children and on to mentaly defective children and adults.

Where the Santorum campaign failed was to allow the media and the opposition to describe the issue and reduce it into popping a morning pill. Furthurmore in Ohio’s case you had some major market so called “conservative” talk show hosts ridiculing Santorum on this issue not just the dummers on MSM.

Whether unfortunately Santorum decides to shy away from this issue or re-frame it is up to him and his advisors. But he should be encouraged to adjust the focus. One way the bishops can help is use the mechanisms they have to do so...after all they have shut down parishes which retained the latin mass but can’t speakout and act on this despicable movement .

[frogjerk]

How did he do in Steubenville, OH?

[Toespi]

Didn’t get Michigan Catholics either. One would think if the big crisis facing America, as Santorum would have us believe, is following the birth control doctrine of the catholic church, as he does, he would be overwhelmingly taking this segment of voters. Maybe this will help: Time magazine, “Rick Santorum is one of the top 25 most influential evangelicals in America.”

[detective]

“Do you mean 50 % of Catholics are non practicing? Non believers?
That’s silly. There must be some other reason”

That is not what I said.

I haven't seen the breakouts of the poll data so I don't know what survey sample is.

For the most part Catholics don't vote on issues of faith, they choose who they think is the best overall candidate.

That being said, I believe that Santorum probably won a majority of practicing Catholics. Romney won a majority of the voters who answered Catholic to the poll taker and who are nonpracticing.

[BillyBoy]

No mention of Newt's share of the Catholic vote? Why not? He got 15% of the general votes in that state. Both Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum profess they are practicing Catholics. It's pretty simple to figure out what happened here. Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich split the votes of the majority of Catholic Republicans in Ohio that did not want someone with Romney's record to be the nominee. Romney won the remaining 43% (a minority of Catholic voters), most of whom are probably secular, non-church going Catholics.

[napscoordinator]

The real issue here is that many Catholics have dealt with the Rick Santorums of the world. They were the head altar boy, teacher’s pet types who took their hall monitor job way too seriously. They were the perfect little Catholic with a Lancelot complex. They were very annoying as holier than thou children and still are as presidential candidates.

That is why I want this guy as President. You said it yourself that he took their hall monitor way too seriously. He will take being President seriously too. I think that is a positive. Man if Santorum took 31 percent of the Catholic vote and Romney got 44 percent. What did Newt take? He has an even lower Catholic vote.

[marron]

I have defended Rick, but have never said anything to harm Newt

I am the reverse. Newt is my #1. But I will gladly vote for Santorum. He is a decent man and will make a fine president.

[nandrew]

The fact is Romney is winning close to half of the Catholic vote while Newt and Santorum are both Catholics.

[BillyBoy]

>> Do “devout Catholics” believe in tithing 10%? <<

No, this has never been taught by the Catholic Church. In fact, a recent study showed Catholics are the least likely to give 10% of their income to the church. Tithing is only taught by Mormons and some very conservative protestant denominations, and it appears Mormons are the only ones to get a majority of their members to actually do it: http://www.religionnews.com/ethics/money-and-giving/yes-mormons-tithe-but-most-others-dont

[Toespi]

The difference is, Gingrich has based his campaign on oil prices, international policy, calling the MSM out for what they are, taking on Obama and his radical agenda, all those unimportant issues facing America. Mr. Oral Moral has focused on the evangelical voters and telling America how to conduct their private lives.

[Mangia E Statti Zitto]

I’ve been thinking over the whole “contraceptive trap” idea, and I think it actually HELPED Santorum yesterday. Look, he was plummeting in the polls, right? Even the religious right was starting to get nervous with the snob comment and the JFK’s speech made me throw up jazz. But then, whaddya know? The left attacks Rush and family values with Ms. Fluke. Bingo!!! The single issue evangelicals RUN to the polls to defend Santorum’s (and their) values.

Slide reversed. Gingrich didn’t have a chance in Tennessee.

[Salvation]

Why would any Catholic vote for Mormon Romney, the flip-flopper and big spender that broke Massachesetts treasury?