Vice President Kamala Harris is facing increasing criticism from Catholic voters, a critical demographic, after years of public disagreements and perceived slights against the community. According to recent polling data from the Pew Research Center, Harris is trailing former President Donald Trump among Catholic voters by a margin of 52% to 47%. This marks a significant shift from 2020, when President Joe Biden, a Catholic, won this group with 52% support against Trump.
Political analysts suggest Harris’s decline among Catholics is partly due to her previous confrontations with the religious community. One notable instance occurred in 2018 when, as a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Harris questioned judicial nominee Brian Buescher over his involvement in the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic fraternal organization. Harris pressed Buescher on the group’s stances against abortion and marriage equality, positions in line with Catholic teachings but at odds with her views.
Harris’s decision to skip the annual Al Smith Dinner in New York last month, an event long attended by presidential candidates from both parties, further fueled concerns among Catholic leaders. Cardinal Timothy Dolan expressed disappointment over Harris’s absence, pointing out that the last major candidate to skip the event was Walter Mondale in 1984.
Catholics play a crucial role in determining electoral outcomes in key swing states. Nearly a quarter of voters in Pennsylvania, as well as sizable percentages in Nevada, Michigan, and Arizona, identify as Catholic. As Harris campaigns for the presidency, regaining the support of this influential voting bloc could prove essential.
Harris’s administration has also faced scrutiny from Catholics for allegedly targeting traditional religious beliefs. A report from the House Judiciary Committee recently accused federal law enforcement, under the Biden-Harris administration, of profiling pro-life and pro-family Catholics as potential domestic threats. The FBI was reportedly involved in trying to turn Catholic clergy into informants.
These developments have left many Catholic voters feeling alienated. According to Chad Pecknold, a professor at The Catholic University of America, Democrats have attempted to gain the support of Catholics who align with party policies while suppressing those who adhere to traditional Church teachings.