At 29 percent of 109th Congress, Catholics remain largest faith group

Published: 2004-11-11

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Catholics will make up 29 percent of the 109th Congress when it convenes in early January, with a slight rise in the number of Catholic Republicans and a similar drop in the number of Catholic Democrats. With 128 representatives and 24 senators identifying themselves as Catholics in a survey by Congressional Quarterly, Catholicism remains the largest single religious affiliation claimed by members of the new Congress. Baptists were second, with 65 House members and seven senators. According to an analysis of the data by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Office of Government Liaison, the number of Catholic senators was unchanged at 24. But the defeat of Sen. Tom Daschle, D-S.D., and the election win of Republican Mel Martinez of Florida left the Senate numbers at 11 Catholic Republicans and 13 Catholic Democrats, compared to 10 Republicans and 14 Democrats in the 108th Congress.

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