According to a new poll for the PBS news program RELIGION & ETHICS NEWSWEEKLY, conducted by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research Inc., although white evangelical Christians have voted overwhelmingly Republican for the last 20 years, younger evangelicals are less supportive of John McCain than evangelicals over 30.
The September survey found that almost three-quarters (71%) of white evangelicals say they support McCain for president, compared to 23% who support Barack Obama. But the margin closes to 62-30 percent among white evangelicals ages 18-29.
Younger white evangelical women are much less favorable toward Sarah Palin than their mothers, with only 46% of them rating her “warmly,” compared to 65% of evangelical women over 30.
The survey also found generational differences on key social issues.
- 58% of younger white evangelicals support some form of legal recognition for civil unions or marriage for same-sex couples. No news here, older evangelicals remain strongly opposed.
- Young evangelicals are as solidly pro-life on abortion as older evangelicals.
The nationwide survey of 1400 adults, including an oversample of 400 evangelical Christians, ages 18-29, was conducted September 4-21, 2008. The margin of error is +/- 3.1 percent for the total survey sample, +/- 4.1 percent for white evangelical Christians, and +/- 5.5 percent for white evangelical Christians ages 18-29.
The survey results are part of a larger national survey of attitudes about religion and America’s role in the world to be released in October. It will be the basis of a two-part RELIGION & ETHICS NEWSWEEKLY series broadcast on PBS stations beginning the weekend of October 24 (check local listings for broadcast date and time).
The biggest problem with the evangelical children being against abortion but they practice un safe sex with those phoney promise rings.