Majority of Catholic Voters Believe Biden Shouldn’t Run Again in 2024: POLL

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A majority of likely Catholic voters — 58.4 percent — believe President Biden should not pursue a second term in 2024, according to a new poll from EWTN News and RealClear Opinion Research.

Just 22.2 percent of Catholic voters believe Biden should run again, the poll found, including 17 percent of white Catholic, 28 percent of Hispanic Catholics and 94 percent of African American Catholics. Sixty-two percent of white Catholics and 53 percent of Hispanic Catholics said he should not run.

More Catholic voters said they disapprove or strongly disapprove of President Biden’s job performance than approve or strongly approve, with 51.8 percent disapproving and 46.2 percent approving.

The poll also showed a decline in support for Biden and Democrats among Hispanic Catholics, 50 percent of whom said they strongly approve or approve of how he is handling his job as president, while nearly 47 percent disapprove or strongly disapprove. A July EWTN/RealClear poll showed Biden with a 59 percent approval rating among Hispanic Catholics.

Meanwhile, 54 percent of white Catholics strongly disapprove or disapprove of the job Biden is doing, while 44 percent strongly approve or approve. Biden’s approval among white Catholics has increased from the July poll, when 36 percent approved of his job performance.

Republicans now have a slight advantage among likely Catholic voters heading into the midterms, with 48.7 percent of Catholic voters saying they would support a Republican candidate if the 2022 elections for Congress were held today and 44.7 percent saying they would support a Democrat. 

In July, an EWTN News and RealClear Opinion Research poll found 44 percent of likely Catholic voters would vote for the Republican candidate in their district, while 43 percent said they would support the Democratic candidate.

A majority of Catholic voters also believe former president Donald Trump should not run for president in 2024 (63.3 percent), while 26.7 percent believe he should pursue a second term.

Catholic voters showed strong support for limiting abortion to 15 weeks or less, with 73.4 percent in favor of such limits. Just 13.4 percent of Catholic voters said they support abortion up to the moment of birth.

Inflation ranked as the “most important issue facing the nation” among respondents, with 34.2 percent of Catholic voters citing inflation, 19.7 percent saying the economy.  Abortion and immigration each received 10.1 percent. 

“As we approach the midterm elections and the campaign intensifies, President Biden could continue to face headwinds particularly as he stands in stark opposition to a clear majority of Catholics on religious liberty/conscience rights, transgender ideology, and on even the most basic protections for the unborn,” said Matthew Bunson, Executive Editor of EWTN News.

Bunson added: “Catholics are historically a swing vote but those who attend Mass at least weekly are unquestionably at odds with this administration even as support from Hispanic Catholics is eroding for the president and his party. These voters could very well decide who controls the House and Senate.”

The poll was conducted between September 12 and 19 among 1,581 likely Catholic voters and has a credibility interval of +/-2.4 percent.

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