Non-religious voters wield clout, tilt heavily Democratic

[Eugene]

Source: Associated Press

Non-religious voters wield clout, tilt heavily Democratic

By PETER SMITH
December 3, 2022

When members of the small Pennsylvania chapter of Secular Democrats of America log on for their monthly meetings, they’re not there for a virtual happy hour.

“We don’t sit around at our meetings patting ourselves on the back for not believing in God together,” said David Brown, a founder from the Philadelphia suburb of Ardmore.

The group, mostly consisting of atheists and agnostics, mobilizes to knock on doors and make phone calls on behalf of Democratic candidates “who are pro-science, pro-democracy, whether or not they are actually self-identified secular people,” he said. “We are trying to keep church and state separate. That encompasses LGBTQIA+, COVID science, bodily autonomy and reproductive rights.”

Brown describes his group as “small but mighty,” yet they’re riding a big wave.

Voters with no religious affiliation supported Democratic candidates and abortion rights by staggering percentages in the 2022 midterm elections.

-snip-

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/abortion-pennsylvania-reproductive-rights-e5eb366a76995619a2c9bae200f414e6

[edhopper]

1. There are as many "nones"

as their are evangelicals. Yet I see no politician trying to appease this large group.

[TlalocW]

2. More actually

I think in 2014, Nones, Catholics, and Evangelicals were all at 21% of the population. Nones are at 27% now while the other two are still at 21% each.

[edhopper]

3. I guess it depends on the survey

but it makes the point stronger.

[Major Nikon]

5. Lack of organization

There's no atheist groups which preach politics from the pulpit on every corner of every rural neighborhood.

[pandr32]

4. Reason and science are on our side.

Having traversed the landscape from religious to non-religious myself I have noticed that many so-called 'believers' actually don't believe in God. They more or less believe in the belief of God and not God itself. Traditions and community are why they stay.

[Major Nikon]

6. Amost twice as many Americans believe in creationism compared to evolution

https://news.gallup.com/poll/261680/americans-believe-creationism.aspx

You can't really put that much faith in reason and science when the talking donkey crowd has the upper hand.