For presidential candidates, religion can be a factor voters consider

By Courtney Campbell

On Feb.1, presidential candidate Ted Cruz won the Iowa caucus. His religious views most likely helped him win over the evangelical state.

More Republicans believe it is important to have a president who shares their religious beliefs. Graphic by Courtney Campbell.

According to a study done by the Pew Research Center, most Americans believe it is important for a president to have strong religious beliefs. This belief becomes stronger depending on location.

Dan Freeman, NBC embed in Iowa, believes that in a religious state like Iowa faith plays a larger role in the election. Though he said religion is more impactful on the Republican side, there were also evangelical Democrats contributing to Cruz’s support.

“Down in the South there are a lot of evangelicals and people tend to vote with someone who is more religious and shares the same views on religious issues in that they are pro-life,” Freeman said. “In the more moderate or liberal states though, the Republicans typically vote based on the economic platform, not because a candidate is religious.”

One of the biggest liabilities a presidential candidate can have is to be an atheist. According to the survey, half of United States adults would be less likely to vote for a candidate who does not believe in God, with only 6 percent saying they would be more likely to vote for a non-believer.

Michael Skube, associate professor of communications at Elon University and former political reporter for Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Raleigh News & Observer, said the only religion that would hurt a candidate more than atheism is being Muslim. Voters are 42 percent less likely to support them, according to the survey.

The only candidate this is not seen in is Donald Trump, who has plenty of Republican support but 47 percent don’t see him as religious. This was seen on Feb. 9, when he won the New Hampshire primary.

According to the Pew Research Center survey, of the 56 percent of GOP voters who think Trump would make a good president, only 5 percent sees him as very religious. But with Cruz, Rubio and Carson, almost all Republicans who think they would be a good president view them as somewhat religious.

“Trump has ambiguous faith, but conservatives are supporting him because they like what he’s saying — not where he’s spending his Sundays,” said Jason Husser, assistant professor of political science and policy studies.

Half of United States adults are less likely to support an atheist president. Graphic by Courtney Campbell.

Husser believes that though religion was important when choosing a candidate eight years ago, it is becoming less of a factor as fewer people are attending church. According to the survey, 68 percent believe that religion is beginning to lose its influence on U.S. life.

This is the case with many Elon students who come from New England.

Though freshman Gaby Lopez attended a Catholic high school in Connecticut and attends church weekly, she doesn’t consider herself a religious person and does not think about religion when choosing a candidate.

“I guess faith matters for certain people, but not for me,” Lopez said. “The United States has always been separate from church and state, so religion doesn’t get too involved.”

Senior Lauryl Fisher believes that religious beliefs can shift a candidates stance on issues, but she does not consider it to be the number one importance when voting.

“I don’t think about religion,” she said. “I think about their personal beliefs. Their opinions on foreign policy and domestic affairs are what matters most.”

Round two: Hillary Clinton officially announces campaign for 2016 presidency

Hillary Clinton in her campaign video

On Sunday, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton comfirned that she will be running for the Democratic nomination for president in 2016.

She said she was running in a video on her new campaign website. Clinton appears after 90 seconds of footage of men, women and children saying their plans and hopes for 2015, and says “I’m running for president.”

‘Getting Started’ Hillary Clinton’s campaign video

In 2008 she became the first woman to win presidential primary races with about 18 million votes, but suspended her campaign in June 2008 and backed now-President Barack Obama. Now, she’s ready to try again.

“I’m not surprised,” said Margie Watkins, part-time program assistant for Greek Life at Elon University. “I’d like to see a female president. Just how she would handle things differently, hopefully better.”

It was expected of Clinton to make this announcement and Jason Husser, assistant professor of political science and policy studies, believes that it will be just as likely that she will win the Democratic primary races. However, because this would be an “easy win,” she might not be as prepared for the upcoming debates.

The Republican who wins their primary on the other hand, he said, will be sharper because they would have a harder pool of candidates to compete against. Currently, Jeb Bush is the more well-known potential candidate, but as others like Ran Paul and Scott Walker emerge there will be more competition.

According to Husser, Clinton is one of the most well-known candidates because she has been in the public eye since 1992. Clinton represented the New York senate from 2001 and 2009 and served as first lady of the Untied States and Arkansas while her husband, Bill, was in office.

“She’s been around for the past 23 years,” he said. “You have to go as far back as Dwight Eisenhower to find a candidate that was just as well known. She is probably the best known presidential candidate ever.”

Although she is well-known around, public opinion of her might makes her chances of winning less likely. Sophomore Caroline Blancharu believes that she has a decent shot, for now at least.

“Her history might be a problem,” she said. “She’s been involved in a lot of stuff and people already have opinions of her that are going to be tough to get beyond.”

However, Blancharu believed that her campaign video was well done, well thought out and that she covered all of her bases.

Female empowerment is a key part of Clinton’s campaign and the public opinion of her. Sophomore Camaya Miller, hopes that they’ll be other candidates so she could compare their beliefs and platforms, but thinks it’s good Clinton is running because she is a woman.

“I think it’s good that she’s running because she’d be the first female president,” Miller said. “It would be interesting to see how other countries would react to a female president, especially in America.”