Poll of Catholic voters shows support nearly divided for Bush, Kerry

Published: 2004-04-12

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- An early poll shows Catholic voters are probably no more or less likely than the general population of Americans to vote for the first Catholic presidential candidate in 44 years. In a national telephone poll of Catholics, the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate at Georgetown University found that about 46 percent said they would vote for Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., in November, compared to 41 percent who would vote for President Bush, a Republican. A poll by Zogby International of voters nationwide taken the same week in March found the percentage voting for Bush and Kerry to be equal, at 46 percent each. With the statistical margin of error for both polls at about plus or minus 3 percent, that means so far this election year Catholic voters differ little from the general public in their presidential election choices. The number of Catholics who said they would vote for Kerry nearly matches the number, 47 percent, who said in a pre-election poll in 2000 that they would vote for the Democratic nominee, Vice President Al Gore.

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