With election night barely in the rearview, the political world is still reeling from Donald Trump’s decisive win over Kamala Harris. The surprise factor? An unexpected surge in support from Catholic voters, a shift that defied predictions and left Democrats scrambling for answers. As exit polls revealed, Trump held a commanding 18-point lead among Catholics, signaling a dramatic reversal from 2020 and setting off alarms within Democratic circles.
Catholics, who make up roughly a quarter of the voting population, made their voices heard this election cycle, and they weren’t on Harris’s side. Back in 2020, Biden had a slight edge among Catholics, winning them by just five points. Fast-forward to this year, and the shift was unmistakable. So, what changed? For many Catholics, it came down to Harris’s uncompromising stance on abortion and a perceived disrespect for religious beliefs. Unlike Biden, who at least paid lip service to faith, Harris was viewed as openly dismissive of religious objections, with Catholics feeling especially alienated by her rhetoric.
Adding fuel to the fire, Harris declined to attend the Al Smith charity dinner, a tradition in Catholic circles that serves as a goodwill event for presidential candidates. Her absence sent a message, one that many Catholics interpreted as disregard for their values. Trump, on the other hand, attended the event alongside his Catholic running mate, J.D. Vance, signaling a stark contrast in attitudes. This was more than a political calculation; it came across as personal, highlighting a growing disconnect between Democrats and faith-based communities.
Faith issues went beyond the Catholic vote, spilling into broader Christian demographics. Evangelical voters showed up strongly for Trump, with exit polls indicating a 63% to 36% split in his favor. Religious voters noticed Harris’s stance on the Israel-Gaza conflict, too. Her reluctance to defend Israel resonated poorly with Christians who see support for Israel as non-negotiable, a sentiment that the Faith & Freedom Coalition’s Ralph Reed noted had a “deep impact” on the religious vote.
For many Catholics, Trump represented not just a candidate but a defender of religious liberty. Under Biden, the Democrats had already started to lose ground with faith-based voters, especially after policies pushing taxpayer-funded abortions and supporting mandatory transgender surgeries for religious hospitals. And it didn’t help that the FBI, under Biden’s administration, issued a memo describing traditionalist Catholics as “potential domestic terrorists.” By election day, the lingering memory of these controversies left a sour taste in the mouths of religious voters.
As Brian Burch of CatholicVote put it, the Democratic Party’s disconnect with faith-based voters has become too glaring to ignore. Trump’s win with Catholics wasn’t a one-off; it was an indicator of a seismic shift that could shape elections for years to come. Trump’s platform, focused on religious liberty, traditional values, and national security, struck a chord with Catholics and Christians across the spectrum who felt unseen by Harris’s progressive stance.
The challenge for Democrats now is clear: they must reconcile their platform with the priorities of faith-based voters or risk alienating this essential bloc. Trump’s victory wasn’t just about policy; it was a stark reminder that for many Americans, faith and values still hold powerful sway. The Democrats may want to take notes—because, in the end, the message was loud and clear: ignore religious voters at your own peril.