How the Catholic vote went yesterday

This is based on exit polling and is from Catholicvote.org; a group faithful to Catholic teaching.

The Catholic votes are in

The votes are in.

And the Catholic vote was decisive.

Early indications suggest the GOP won 53% of the Catholic vote with Democrats garnering 45% of Catholics, according to a CNN exit poll (NOTE: This may be understated - go here for another analysis). After losing the Catholic vote by 10 points in 2008, this eight point advantage represents an 18-point shift in support to the Republican Party.

Catholic Republicans like Bobby Schilling in Illinois-17, Sean Duffy in Wisconsin-7, and Dan Benishek in Michigan-1 all won seats held previously by Catholic Democrats who supported the health care bill. All three of these winning candidates happen to be proud pro-life Catholics, and were endorsed by CatholicVote!

In South Carolina, CatholicVote-endorsed Mick Mulvaney shocked the political world by ousting Nancy Pelosi’s Budget Chairman John Spratt, who has been in office since 1983.

In Virginia, the founder of the liberal Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good (a group that publicly justified Catholic support for pro-abortion candidates) lost his seat to pro-life challenger Robert Hurt. CatholicVote.org backed Hurt with a radio blitz during the final week of the campaign.

We also backed Republican Jeff Fortenberry in Nebraska and pro-life Democrat Dan Lipinski in Illinois – both of whom were re-elected. Lipinski was one of the only members of the Stupak coalition that refused to compromise. He voted against Obamacare.

CatholicVote-endorsed candidate Frank Guinta unseated Rep. Carol Shea-Porter in New Hampshire. Shea-Porter claimed a Catholic faith, yet supported abortion and so-called same-sex “marriages.”

In northern Virginia, CatholicVote endorsed Keith Fimian still trails Rep. Gerry Connolly by a mere 820 votes. Some absentee ballots are apparently still to be counted and a recount appears likely. Please pray for Keith. Our candidate in NY-22, George Phillips, did better than anyone expected, but came up short to Rep. Maurice Hinchey.

And in the marquee Senate race in Nevada, Harry Reid defeated CatholicVote-backed Sharron Angle in a disappointing loss. 

This means our 2010 Midterm Election campaign racked up 8 wins, 2 losses and one race not yet decided. But we also helped lead the charge in educating, and mobilizing the most important voting bloc in America – the Catholic vote!

Together we are building a movement, and today you should feel proud.

Victories at the ballot box are a start, and the new Republican Party needs to know we expect them to deliver.

Economic issues may have been the biggest story of this election, but let’s not forget what we said last May. Votes have consequences, and virtually every so- called “pro-life” legislator that voted for Obamacare went down to defeat last night.

Those legislators that stood firm on principle, defended life, and opposed the stifling impact of a runaway federal government were rewarded.

We are grateful beyond measure for your help.

Whatever good we may have accomplished, may God be praised!

Brian Burch
President
CatholicVote.org

Comments

[Eileen Peterson]

We in Rockland must do better with informing our Catholic voters where the candidates stand on moral issues.

There are two Roman Catholics that were elected (David Carlucci ~state Senate) and re-elected (Assemblyman Ken Zebrowski). Both these men vote for death and destruction~ Abortion with no restriction and same sex marriage. Please pray for us as we mobilize a committee to make sure voters know the truth!

[estela reveles]

how discouraging. more abortions happen under the barrage of anti life legislation of the gop. once the baby is born, they don't give a damn about the poor. they don't give a damn about the suffering caused by their legislation that supports multinational corporations in their rapacious and destructive grab for natural resources--attitudes that cause tremendous suffering, destruction and death all over the world. How can a catholic in good conscience vote for such selfishness that is prolife in name only?
estela reveles a proud catholic who will NEVER vote republican.

[Tom Faranda]

Wow. That's a pretty broad statement, don't you think? All Republicans "don't give a damn"? Do any Democrats work for multinational corporations? It strikes me that if you applied the same tone of your comment towards, for example, gay people, you'd be accused of being a "hater."
Tom Faranda, not now, never have been, and never will be a member of any political party.