As Latinos seem poised to play a crucial role in the next presidential election in several swing states, a new study by The Philos Project has revealed insights into how Christians who are part of that demographic view one of the most crucial political topics at the moment: the Israel-Hamas War.
The study, conducted among Latino Christians eligible to vote in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. explores their views on various topics linked to the MIddle East, including the Israel-Gaza conflict, antisemitism, President Biden's performance policies in the region and Islamic extremism.
Notably, 43% of respondents say a candidate's overall support for Israel is important in determining their support.
Elsewhere, six out of ten Latino Christians advocate for a ceasefire contingent on Hamas returning all hostages. Additionally, 63% of respondents blame Hamas for starting the conflict, while 19% blame Israel, and 14% blame Palestine.
Views of Israel are generally more positive than views of Palestine among the group, whether considering the nation/state, government, or people. The terror organization Hamas receives the least positive views among respondents. Christian theology heavily influences the respondents' views, with nearly two-thirds believing that Israel is the fulfillment of God's covenant with the Jewish people.
When segmented further, however, the survey revealed that Latino Christians born in the U.S. tend to be more pro-Israel, while those born outside the U.S. are more sympathetic to Palestinians.
Latino Christians in swing states and their political tendencies
Latino Christians, also vary widely in their religious denominations and political inclinations. The study indicates that regular religious practitioners tend to lean more politically conservative (33%), whereas those less active in their faith tend to be more liberal or progressive. Other findings from the study include:
- Political leanings among Latino Christians in swing states show that 33% identify as conservative, 39% as moderate, and 28% as liberal.
- The denominational breakdown includes 55% identifying as Catholic, 19% as Protestant, 15% as non-denominational, 8% with no preference, and 4% as other.
- A significant portion, 40%, believe Jews have too much influence in American society.
- Concern about Islamic extremism has increased among over half of the respondents, with 53% expressing more concern than a year ago.
- Evaluations of President Biden's performance on Middle East policy reveal general dissatisfaction among conservative and liberal Latino Christians. The handling of the Gaza conflict, pro-Palestine demonstrations, and US-Israel relations all garnered higher unfavorable ratings, particularly from conservative respondents.
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