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Survey Reports
August 24, 2004
GOP the Religion-Friendly Party
Questionnaire
PEW RESEARCH CENTER FOR THE PEOPLE & THE PRESS
PEW FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE
AUGUST 2004 NEWS INTEREST INDEX
FINAL TOPLINE
August 5 - 10, 2004 / N=1512
Q.1 Do you approve or disapprove of the way George W. Bush is handling his job as president?
[IF DK ENTER AS DK. IF DEPENDS PROBE ONCE WITH: Overall do you approve or disapprove of
the way George W. Bush is handling his job as president? IF STILL DEPENDS ENTER AS DK]
Dis- Don't
Approve approve know
August, 2004 46 45 9=100
July, 2004 46 46 8=100
June, 2004 48 43 9=100
May, 2004 44 48 8=100
Late April, 2004 48 43 9=100
Early April, 2004 43 47 10=100
Late March, 2004 47 44 9=100
Mid-March, 2004 46 47 7=100
February, 2004 48 44 8=100
Mid-January, 2004 56 34 10=100
Early January, 2004 58 35 7=100
2003
December, 2003 57 34 9=100
November, 2003 50 40 10=100
October, 2003 50 42 8=100
September, 2003 55 36 9=100
Mid-August, 2003 56 32 12=100
Early August, 2003 53 37 10=100
Mid-July, 2003 58 32 10=100
Early July, 2003 60 29 11=100
June, 2003 62 27 11=100
May, 2003 65 27 8=100
April 10-16, 2003 72 22 6=100
April 9, 2003 74 20 6=100
April 2-7, 2003 69 25 6=100
March 28-April 1, 2003 71 23 6=100
March 25-27, 2003 70 24 6=100
March 20-24, 2003 67 26 7=100
March 13-16, 2003 55 34 11=100
February, 2003 54 36 10=100
January, 2003 58 32 10=100
2002
December, 2002 61 28 11=100
Late October, 2002 59 29 12=100
Early October, 2002 61 30 9=100
Mid-September, 2002 67 22 11=100
Early September, 2002 63 26 11=100
Late August, 2002 60 27 13=100
August, 2002 67 21 12=100
Late July, 2002 65 25 10=100
July, 2002 67 21 12=100
Dis- Don't
Approve approve know
June, 2002 70 20 10=100
April, 2002 69 18 13=100
Early April, 2002 74 16 10=100
February, 2002 78 13 9=100
January, 2002 80 11 9=100
2001
Mid-November, 2001 84 9 7=100
Early October, 2001 84 8 8=100
Late September, 2001 86 7 7=100
Mid-September, 2001 80 9 11=100
Early September, 2001 51 34 15=100
August, 2001 50 32 18=100
July, 2001 51 32 17=100
June, 2001 50 33 17=100
May, 2001 53 32 15=100
April, 2001 56 27 17=100
March, 2001 55 25 20=100
February, 2001 53 21 26=100
QUESTION 2 RELEASED PREVIOUSLY
Q.3 How much thought have you given to the coming presidential election... Quite a lot or only
a little?
BASED ON REGISTERED VOTERS [N=1166]:
Quite (VOL.) Only a (VOL.) DK/
A lot Some Little None Ref.
August, 2004 69 2 26 2 1=100
July, 2004 67 2 28 2 1=100
June, 2004 58 3 36 2 1=100
May, 2004 59 6 30 4 1=100
Late March, 2004 60 4 31 4 1=100
Mid-March, 2004 65 2 31 2 *=100
2000 Early November, 2000 72 6 19 2 1=100
Late October, 2000 66 6 24 4 *=100
Mid-October, 2000 67 9 19 4 1=100
Early October, 2000 60 8 27 4 1=100
September, 2000 59 8 29 3 1=100
July, 2000 46 6 45 3 *=100
June, 2000 46 6 43 5 *=100
May, 2000 48 4 42 5 1=100
April, 2000 45 7 41 7 *=100
1996 November, 1996 67 8 22 3 *=100
October, 1996 65 7 26 1 1=100
Late September, 1996 61 7 29 2 1=100
Early September, 1996 56 3 36 4 1=100
July, 1996 55 3 41 1 *=100
June, 1996 50 5 41 3 1=100
1992 October, 1992 77 5 16 1 1=100
September, 1992 69 3 26 1 1=100
August, 1992 72 4 23 1 *=100
June, 1992 63 6 29 1 1=100
1988 Gallup: November, 1988 73 8 17 2 0=100
Gallup: October, 1988 69 9 20 2 0=100
Gallup: August, 1988 61 10 27 2 0=100
Gallup: September, 1988 57 18 23 2 0=100
Q.4 If the presidential election were being held TODAY, would you vote [INSERT, ROTATE
REPUBLICAN AND DEMOCRATIC TICKETS WITH NADER TICKET LAST] for the Republican
ticket of George W. Bush and Dick Cheney, for the Democratic ticket of John Kerry and John
Edwards, or for the ticket of Ralph Nader and Peter Camejo?
IF CHOSE BUSH, KERRY OR NADER IN Q.4, ASK:
Q.4a Do you support (INSERT PRESIDENTIAL CHOICE FROM Q.4, LAST NAME ONLY, DO NOT
READ VP CHOICE) strongly or only moderately?
IF OTHER OR DK (Q.4=4,9), ASK:
Q.4b As of TODAY, do you LEAN more to [READ, ROTATE IN SAME ORDER AS Q.4]?
BASED ON REGISTERED VOTERS [N=1166]:
Late Mid- Early
July June May Mar Mar Sept July Sept July Oct June
2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 2000 2000 1996 1996 1992 1992
45 Bush/Lean Bush 44 46 43 44 42 41 42 Bush 34 34 Dole 35 31 Bush,Sr
32 Strongly 21 17 14
13 Only moderately 19 17 21
* Don't know 1 * --
47 Kerry/Lean Kerry 46 42 46 43 49 47 41 Gore 52 44 Clinton 48 28 Clinton
28 Strongly 25 26 23
19 Only moderately 21 26 25
* Don't know 1 0 --
2 Nader/Lean Nader 3 6 6 6 4 2 6 Nader 8 16 Perot 8 36 Perot
6 Other/Don't know 7 6 5 7 5 10 11 6 6 9 5
100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100
QUESTION 5 THROUGH 10 RELEASED PREVIOUSLY
ASK ALL:
Q.11 In making your decision about who to vote for, will the issue of [INSERT ITEM, RANDOMIZE
OBSERVE FORM SPLITS] be very important, somewhat important, or not too important, or not at
all important? How important will the issue of [NEXT ITEM] be?
BASED ON REGISTERED VOTERS [N=1166]:
Very Somewhat Not too Not at all Don't Know/
Important Important Important Important Refused
a. The economy 76 22 1 1 *=100
b. Iraq 70 24 3 2 1=100
c. Terrorism 75 19 3 2 1=100
d. Gay marriage 34 19 15 30 2=100
e. Moral values 64 25 6 4 1=100
ASK FORM 1 ONLY [N=569]:
f.F1 Abortion 45 25 13 14 3=100
g.F1 The federal budget deficit 55 35 7 3 *=100
h.F1 Energy 53 40 6 * 1=100
ASK FORM 2 ONLY [N=597]:
i.F2 Health care 72 21 5 2 *=100
j.F2 Education 70 26 3 1 *=100
k.F2 The environment 55 35 7 3 *=100
QUESTION 12 THROUGH 20 RELEASED PREVIOUSLY
On a different subject
ASK FORM 1 ONLY [N=739]:
Q.21F1 In your opinion, should churches and other houses of worship keep out of political
matters or should they express their views on day-to-day social and political questions?
Mid-July March Sept June Gallup
2003 2001 2000 1996 Feb 1968 March 1957
44 Should keep out 44 43 45 43 53 44
51 Should express views 52 51 51 54 40 48
5 No opinion 4 6 4 3 7 8
100 100 100 100 100 100 100
ASK FORM 2 ONLY [N=773]:
Q.22F2 During political elections, should churches and other houses of worship come out in
favor of one candidate over another, or shouldn't they do this?
March
2002
25 Should come out in favor of candidates 22
65 Should not come out in favor of candidates 70
10 No Opinion 8
100 100
ASK FORM 1 ONLY [N=739]:
Q.23F1 Do you think there has been too much, too little or the right amount of expressions of
religious faith and prayer by political leaders?
Mid-July
2003
27 Too much 21
31 Too little 41
32 Right amount 29
10 Don't know/Refused 9
100 100
[ROTATE Q24F2 AND Q25F2]
[ASK FORM 2 ONLY [N=773]:
Q.24F2 Do you think John Kerry mentions his religious faith and prayer too much, too little,
or about the right amount?
10 Too much
15 Too little
56 About the right amount
19 Don't know/Refused (VOL.)
100
Q.25F2 Do you think George W. Bush mentions his religious faith and prayer too much, too
little, or about the right amount?
Mid-July
2003
24 Too much 14
11 Too little 11
53 About the right amount 62
12 Don't know/Refused (VOL.) 13
100 100
ASK FORM 1 ONLY [N=739]:
Q.26F1 How much do you think George W. Bush relies on his own religious beliefs in making
policy decisions a great deal, a fair amount, or not very much?
Mid-July
2003
26 A great deal 20
38 A fair amount 40
28 Not very much 31
8 Don't know/Refused (VOL.) 9
100 100
Q.27F1 Do you think he relies on his religious beliefs too MUCH, too LITTLE or about the right
amount when making policy decisions?
Mid-July
2003
15 Too much 10
21 Too little 21
53 About the right amount 58
11 Don't know/Refused (VOL.) 11
100 100
ASK FORM 2 ONLY [N=773]:
Q.28F2 If John Kerry becomes president, how much do you think he will rely on his own
religious beliefs in making policy decisions a great deal, a fair amount, or not very
much?
10 A great deal
33 A fair amount
46 Not very much
11 Don't know/Refused (VOL.)
100
ASK ALL:
ROTATE Q.29 Q.30 Q.31
Q.29 Do you believe that it is proper or improper for political parties to ask church members
for lists of people who attend their church so the parties can encourage them to register
and vote?
26 Proper
69 Improper
5 Don't know/Refused
100
Q.30 Do you believe that it is proper or improper for Catholic church leaders to deny communion
to Catholic politicians whose views on abortion and other life issues go against church
teachings?
22 Proper
64 Improper
14 Don't know/Refused
100
Q.31 Do you believe that it is proper or improper for the Ten Commandments to be displayed in a
government building?
72 Proper
23 Improper
5 Don't know/Refused
100
ASK FORM 1 ONLY [N=739]:
Q.32F1 Thinking again about candidates and elections...How do you feel about this statement:
It makes me uncomfortable when politicians talk about how religious they are. Do you
completely agree, mostly agree, mostly DISagree, or completely DISagree with it?
Sept
Total RVs 2000 (RVs)
12 14 Completely Agree 25
28 26 Mostly Agree 25
34 34 Mostly Disagree 26
22 22 Completely Disagree 19
4 4 Don't know/Refused 5
100 100 100
(N=569)
ASK FORM 2 ONLY [N=773]:
Q.33F2 Thinking again about candidates and elections... How do you feel about this statement:
It's important to me that a president have strong religious beliefs. Do you completely
agree, mostly agree, mostly DISagree, or completely DISagree with it?
Sept
Total RVs 2000 (RVs)
29 31 Completely Agree 35
41 41 Mostly Agree 35
15 14 Mostly Disagree 17
11 10 Completely Disagree 10
4 4 Don't know/Refused 3
100 100 100
(N=597)
Q.34F2 As I name a group please tell me whether you feel that group is generally friendly
toward religion, neutral toward religion, or unfriendly toward religion? Do you think
[INSERT ITEM AND RANDOMIZE] is/are generally friendly, neutral, or unfriendly toward
religion?
Don't Know/
Friendly Neutral Unfriendly Refused
a. The Democratic party 40 34 13 13=100
Mid-July, 2003 42 36 12 10=100
b. The Republican party 52 24 10 14=100
Mid-July, 2003 52 27 10 11=100
c. Liberals 21 36 23 20=100
Mid-July, 2003 26 33 27 14=100
d. Conservatives 49 23 9 19=100
Mid-July, 2003 51 25 10 14=100
NO QUESTION 35
On another subject
Q.36 Do you strongly favor, favor, oppose, or strongly oppose allowing gays and lesbians to
marry legally?
Early Mid-
July March Feb Nov Oct July March June
2004 2004 2004 2003 2003 2003 2001 1996
8 Strongly favor 10 10 9 10 9 10 8 6
21 Favor 22 22 21 20 21 28 27 21
25 Oppose 23 24 21 21 25 23 23 24
35 Strongly oppose 33 35 42 41 33 30 34 41
11 Don't know/Ref. (VOL.) 12 9 7 8 12 9 8 8
100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100
Q.37 Do you strongly favor, favor, oppose, or strongly oppose allowing gay and lesbian couples
to enter into legal agreements with each other that would give them many of the same rights
as married couples?
July March Oct
2004 2004 2003
15 Strongly favor 18 16 14
33 Favor 31 33 31
21 Oppose 18 18 20
24 Strongly oppose 25 26 27
7 Don't know/Refused (VOL.) 8 7 8
100 100 100 100
IF OPPOSE GAY MARRIAGE (3,4 IN Q.36), ASK FORM 1 ONLY:
Q.38F1 There has been a proposal to change the U.S. Constitution to ban gay marriage. Do you
think amending the Constitution to ban gay marriage is a good idea, or a bad idea?
July March
2004 2004
30 Favor 32 32
60 Oppose 56 59
35 Good idea / Pro-Constitutional amendment 31 36
22 Bad idea / Anti-Constitutional amendment 22 21
3 Don't know/Refused (VOL.) 3 2
10 Don't know/Refused (VOL.) 12 9
100 100 100
NO QUESTION 39
ASK ALL:
Q.40 As you may know, the federal government has debated whether to fund certain kinds of
medical research known as 'stem cell research' How much have you heard about this?
[READ, IN ORDER]
March
2002
42 A lot 27
43 A little [OR] 52
15 Nothing at all 20
* Don't know/Refused (VOL.) 1
100 100
Q.41 All in all, which is more important [READ, IN ORDER]
March
2002
52 Conducting stem cell research that might result in new medical cures 43
[OR]
34 Not destroying the potential life of human embryos involved in this research 38
14 Don't know/Refused [VOL, DO NOT READ] 19
100 100
NO QUESTIONS 42 THROUGH 45
QUESTIONS 42 THROUGH 62 IN PREVIOUS RELEASE
RELIG What is your religious preference Protestant, Roman Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, Mormon,
or an orthodox church such as the Greek or Russian Orthodox Church?
57 Protestant (include Baptist, Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian, Episcopalian, Pentecostal,
Jehovah's Witness, Church of Christ, etc.)
23 Roman Catholic
2 Jewish
2 Mormon (include Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints)
1 Orthodox Church (Greek or Russian)
* Islam/Muslim
2 Other religion (SPECIFY)
11 No religion, not a believer, atheist, agnostic
2 Don't know/Refused (VOL.)
100
IF RELIG = 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9 ASK [N=1321]:
BORN Would you describe yourself as a "born again" or evangelical Christian, or not?
42 Yes, would
54 No, would not
4 Don't know/Refused (VOL.)
100
ASK ALL:
ATTEND Aside from weddings and funerals how often do you attend religious services... more than
once a week, once a week, once or twice a month, a few times a year, seldom, or never?
July March March Mid-Nov March Sept June June
2003 2003 2002 2001 2001 2000 1997 1996
13 More than once a week 16 15 15 16 17 17 12 14
25 Once a week 27 24 25 26 26 28 26 25
15 Once or twice a month 15 15 17 14 17 16 17 17
20 A few times a year 18 21 18 17 17 17 20 21
15 Seldom 14 15 15 16 15 13 15 13
11 Never 10 9 9 10 7 8 10 9
1 Don't know/Refused * 1 1 1 1 1 * 1
100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100
RELIMP How important would you say religion is in your own life very important, fairly
important, or not very important?
Very Fairly Not very Don't know/
Important Important Important Refused
August, 2004 57 26 16 1=100
October, 2003 62 24 13 1=100
Mid-July, 2003 61 24 14 1=100
December, 2002 60 27 12 1=100
March, 2002 63 24 12 1=100
Mid-November, 2001 61 24 14 1=100
March, 2001 64 23 12 1=100
March, 2000 (Gallup) 61 27 12 *=100
June, 1998 (Gallup) 62 25 12 1=100
June, 1996 59 26 15 *=100
March, 1994 (Gallup) 59 29 11 1=100
March, 1988 (Gallup) 54 31 14 1=100
March, 1984 (Gallup) 56 30 13 1=100
April, 1978 (Gallup) 52 32 14 2=100
November, 1965 (Gallup) 70 22 7 1=100
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