[reeds]

"That certainly explains why same sex marriage was banned in Michigan & Oregon, both bathed in Utopian Blue."

So you just happen to leave out Arkansas, Georgia, mississippi, Montana, North dakota, oklahoma, Ohio and Utah..ok...whatever..

that really isnt even my whole point anyway..I am just saying in general, the right winged religious, go to church every week group came out in huge numbers to vote in this election. Why? many reasons, but the gay marriage issue was certainly at the top of the list..

"Voters who say they go to church every week usually vote for Republicans. Those who go to church less often or not at all tend to vote Democratic.

Forget the gender gap. The "religion gap" is bigger, more powerful and growing. The divide isn't between Catholics and Protestants, Jews and Gentiles. Instead, on one side are those of many faiths who go to services, well, religiously: Catholics who attend Mass without fail, evangelical Christians and mainline Protestants who show up for church rain or shine, some Orthodox Jews. On the other side are those who attend religious services only occasionally or never.

The religion gap is the leading edge of the "culture war" that has polarized American politics, reshaped the coalitions that make up the Democratic and Republican parties and influenced the appeals their presidential candidates are making. The debate over same-sex marriage is expected to make it wider than ever this year. Gay rights, partial-birth abortion, definitions of patriotism and other "values" issues are likely to exacerbate the divide between the most observant and others.

Vote in 2000 by church attendance
Bush Gore
More than once a week 68% 32%
Once a week 58% 42%
Once or twice a month 41% 59%
A few times a year 40% 60%
Seldom 39% 61%
Never 35% 65%

Source: National Survey of Religion and Politics, University of Akron



Republicans target the most faithful for political conversion so aggressively that critics say they skirt the law. At the White House, President Bush has courted people of faith with his policies and language. They are a huge group: In 2000, one in four voters said they attended church every week.

Republicans say concern over the moral direction of the country and gay marriage in particular has created an opening for them to motivate supporters and reach out to new allies among the faithful."