Which states could a qualified atheist win in a statewide race?

[Torie]

Hasn't California already elected an atheist Governor?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culbert_Olson

Other states: Washington, Oregon, Vermont, and Hawaii. I could also see an atheist narrowly winning a crowded Republican primary in a state like Alaska and winning the general.

That is interesting. Olson's  grandson was my speech teacher in junior high school. He never mentioned he had the same "religion" that I did.

[Torie]

I suspect a genial atheist would do just fine in California.

You?

Sure why not?   But I mean an atheist who isn't smash mouthing religion as a matter of course, and doesn't make a point of putting down folks who have made a leap of faith as irrational beings fallen into abyss of superstition and ignorance.

[Neinrein]

In your opinion...

Honestly.....None. Not at the present time anyway. I could see it possibly happening in Nevada, but increased Hispanic immigration kills that one

[justfollowingtheelections]

Washington, Oregon, Vermont, Hawaii, Massachusetts (they may be religious, but they're also open-minded).

[Eraserhead]

Hasn't California already elected an atheist Governor?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culbert_Olson

Other states: Washington, Oregon, Vermont, and Hawaii. I could also see an atheist narrowly winning a crowded Republican primary in a state like Alaska and winning the general.

That Olson stuff is very interesting. I didn't know about all of that.

[CultureKing]

Washington, Oregon, Vermont, Hawaii, Massachusetts (they may be religious, but they're also open-minded).

Washington is not very religious, in fact it is the least religious state in the Union. 25% of the population says they have no religion (basically this means agnostics and atheists).

[justfollowingtheelections]

Washington, Oregon, Vermont, Hawaii, Massachusetts (they may be religious, but they're also open-minded).

Washington is not very religious, in fact it is the least religious state in the Union. 25% of the population says they have no religion (basically this means agnostics and atheists).

The parenthesis was meant to explain why Massachusetts would be willing to vote for an atheist (there was someone who said that they wouldn't because they're a catholic state).

As for Olson, those were much different times.  It's almost ridiculous how much this country has regressed on social issues.  I have a feeling that theocracy will die one day, even in the South or in countries like Iran, but it's really sad to see how little tolerance there is for anyone who has slightly different beliefs than the majority.

The only atheist in the congress right now is Pete Stark from CA-13 who is 77 years old and obviously from a different time when christian neo-fascists didn't have such an influence on politics.