Would a white evangelical Democrat have any trouble winning the Dem nomination?

[they don't love you like i love you]

I'm talking about solely because of that. Let's imagine sometime in the future we have a candidate running for the Democratic nomination who is a white evangelical. To take it even further, let's assume that s/he was not raised in that and converted from Catholicism or a mainline denomination. However aside from that s/he is a pretty mainstream and normal Democrat with standard liberal positions on all the issues.

Would that fact alone cause any serious issues for the candidate or would it be a non-issue?

[Stranger in a strange land]

It would most likely be a non-issue. As long as an American politician from either party is some flavor of Christian, it's pretty much a non-issue these days, aside from maybe a few places in the South, well, and Utah, but it's very much a special case.

[Blue3]

As long as he/she:

*supports gay marriage

*supports equality for women, and people of other races/religions (including atheists)

*rejects creationism in public schools' science classes

*rejects abstinence-only sex education in public schools

... then there shouldn't be any problem.

[freepcrusher]

I'm talking about solely because of that. Let's imagine sometime in the future we have a candidate running for the Democratic nomination who is a white evangelical. To take it even further, let's assume that s/he was not raised in that and converted from Catholicism or a mainline denomination. However aside from that s/he is a pretty mainstream and normal Democrat with standard liberal positions on all the issues.

Would that fact alone cause any serious issues for the candidate or would it be a non-issue?

why are you so obsessed with white fundie dems.

[HagridOfTheDeep]

I believe this person would have a great shot at winning the nomination, but I do think it would put him at a disadvantage in the general election, at least when you look at the coalition that Obama has built.

[Skill and Chance]

I believe this person would have a great shot at winning the nomination, but I do think it would put him at a disadvantage in the general election, at least when you look at the coalition that Obama has built.

He/she would get considerable swing out of the rural South, which would counteract any issues with depressed secular turnout.  A libertarian R could make OR, WA and parts of New England competitive, but an Evangelical D would be very well positioned in NC, FL and GA, and no worse off than Obama in VA.

[they don't love you like i love you]

I'm talking about solely because of that. Let's imagine sometime in the future we have a candidate running for the Democratic nomination who is a white evangelical. To take it even further, let's assume that s/he was not raised in that and converted from Catholicism or a mainline denomination. However aside from that s/he is a pretty mainstream and normal Democrat with standard liberal positions on all the issues.

Would that fact alone cause any serious issues for the candidate or would it be a non-issue?

why are you so obsessed with white fundie dems.

"Evangelical" does not mean "fundamentalist".

[they don't love you like i love you]

Also let's assume the Republican opponent in a general election is sort of a generic Republican, socially conservative but not fundamentalist or heavily associated with the religious right. Think Chris Christie without his other defining features.

[memphis]

This guy says hello

[Stranger in a strange land]

This guy says hello

Pretty much. Clinton was a Southern Baptist, and that was almost never mentioned or remarked upon. It would be even less of an issue now.

[DC Al Fine]

BRTD, when you say evangelical, what kind do you mean? Are they a Clinton style evangelical or more of a religious left candidate?

[they don't love you like i love you]

Clinton wasn't a convert, like in my scenario.

BRTD, when you say evangelical, what kind do you mean? Are they a Clinton style evangelical or more of a religious left candidate?

Think a pretty standard Democrat that just happens to be an evangelical. Closer to religious left then I guess.

[Stranger in a strange land]

Clinton wasn't a convert, like in my scenario.

BRTD, when you say evangelical, what kind do you mean? Are they a Clinton style evangelical or more of a religious left candidate?

Think a pretty standard Democrat that just happens to be an evangelical. Closer to religious left then I guess.

Considering how many Americans change their religion at some point during their lives, I can't see even that making much of a difference.

[morgieb]

Depends on how. Most likely it wouldn't matter.

[DC Al Fine]

Clinton wasn't a convert, like in my scenario.

BRTD, when you say evangelical, what kind do you mean? Are they a Clinton style evangelical or more of a religious left candidate?

Think a pretty standard Democrat that just happens to be an evangelical. Closer to religious left then I guess.

Ok, if that's the case, you'd see slightly different coalitions. Generic GOP would probably win NH, maybe CO as he does better with Soccer moms, while Evangelical Dem does better in southern states, probably winning NC, keeping Virginia etc.

[they don't love you like i love you]

I doubt "soccer moms" would revolt much, consider that Obama might go to a mainline church, but he definitely came off as evangelical-sounding and in style in 2008 at least. And being white definitely isn't a disadvantage over him to soccer moms.

Another interesting question is what if they were a convert from Judaism. Would this anger some Jewish voters and cause them to do worse with the Jewish vote, or would they do a bit better because they'd still be ethnically Jewish and would probably still have some cultural ties? I'm really not sure.

[DC Al Fine]

I doubt "soccer moms" would revolt much, consider that Obama might go to a mainline church, but he definitely came off as evangelical-sounding and in style in 2008 at least. And being white definitely isn't a disadvantage over him to soccer moms.

I think I misunderstood what you meant when you described the candidate. I had a white Jesse Jackson in my head

[HoosierPoliticalJunkie]

If they're a liberal Dem on all social issues, then it's of 0 significance whatsoever.

I know atheist conservatives who think the Lord's prayer should be required in school because it teaches good moral values and that religion, while they feel is false, is essential to keep an orderly society.  Clearly, he'd be accepted by the religious right. 

Policies always trump religion at this point.  Santorum was a Catholic and Evangelicals swarmed to him because they liked his positions.  Ditto with the left....secular progressives would be very content with an Evangelical nominee so long as he agreed with the party line on the social issues. 

[they don't love you like i love you]

I doubt "soccer moms" would revolt much, consider that Obama might go to a mainline church, but he definitely came off as evangelical-sounding and in style in 2008 at least. And being white definitely isn't a disadvantage over him to soccer moms.

I think I misunderstood what you meant when you described the candidate. I had a white Jesse Jackson in my head

Yeah I'm thinking very generic D. So more like white Obama. Or an evangelical version of Hillary Clinton.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

This guy says hello

And let's not forget our first evangelical president.

[they don't love you like i love you]

This guy says hello

And let's not forget our first evangelical president.

Is this map going to happen today?



That said though it is notable that there has never been an evangelical Republican president, or even evangelical Republican presidential candidate and only once an evangelical Republican VP candidate.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

Reagan and Dubya weren't?

[bore]

Reagan and Dubya weren't?

According to wikipedia, Dubya is a methodist (UMC) and Reagan was a presbyterian.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

Reagan and Dubya weren't?

According to wikipedia, Dubya is a methodist (UMC) and Reagan was a presbyterian.

Methodists and Presbyterians can be evangelicals, I believe.

[they don't love you like i love you]

Bush and Reagan most certainly weren't though. I don't think anyone would count Hillary Clinton as an evangelical Democrat if she was nominated and she belongs to the same church as Bush (UMC). Reagan was actually raised in a liberal but evangelical-ish denomination growing up (Disciples of Christ), but was a mainstream Presbyterian most of his life. Reagan was never much of a religious right politician anyway, just a political opportunist (he signed one of the most permissive abortion laws in the country pre-Roe v. Wade as Governor after all.)

Actually something else fairly notable, though credobaptism is associated with evangelicals, the last Democratic President baptized as a baby is JFK. However every Republican President after JFK except Reagan was likely baptized as a baby.