As American politics becomes increasingly polarized, we see a shift away from traditional policy and toward greater attention on the political candidates themselves. The past few presidential elections have shed light on how voting choices have changed. Oftentimes, voter perceptions and moral judgments of candidates have a significant impact on election outcomes.
We can look to an example of this through a few campaign strategies used by Republican candidate Donald Trump in his 2024 presidential campaign. Donald Trump paid close attention to white, Christian, and rural voters. He held rallies in their communities, preached his appreciation of their culture, and recognized their struggles. Donald Trump’s campaign also involved specific rhetoric that appealed to rural voters. Trump appealed to religious conservatives by stating Christianity was under attack in America, promising to bring Christians back into power. Trump appealed to the religious and cultural values held by rural voters, including a focus on hard work, strength, and resilience. This targeted outreach proved to be highly successful, as Donald Trump won 80-85% of rural voters, accounting for a total of 20% of the entire electorate.
On the other hand, Democrats failed to change the previous perceptions of their party. Rural voters struggle to change their perception of the Democratic Party as “the party of elites.” In the 2024 presidential election, a majority of Democratic campaign funding went towards suburban and micropolitan areas, effectively leaving rural voters behind. Historically, rural voters have struggled to find confidence in the Democratic Party to defend their interests, and a similar phenomenon was observed in the 2024 election.
These perceptions have little to do with policy, which is typically regarded as the foundation of our democratic system. However, candidates are still being judged based on voter perception. Using this information as a basis, we can examine how religion-influenced moral judgments affect voters’ decisions at the polls.
Moral foundations theory suggests that humans weigh values differently, and religious beliefs often play a role in moral development. The Bible is used for moral justification by religious voters in both rural and urban communities. Rural voters are more likely to resonate with in-group loyalty and respect for social hierarchies. Urban voters resonate with other values, such as generosity and humility. These values match up well with what we often see in both political parties. Rural Christians are more likely to agree with policies that benefit themselves, like low taxes on small businesses and limited government overreach. Urban Christians are more likely to support socially liberal policies, like increasing Medicaid and Social Security spending. In these ways, we see connections between religion and political engagement.
As American democracy advances, we see more factors come into consideration. Politics is no longer solely centered on policy; candidate perception and judgments can also play a significant role in election outcomes. A majority of Americans claim a religious affiliation, meaning the decisions of these voters are essential in explaining election trends. Considering how religious affiliation may inform voter perception is a necessary part of understanding our evolving democracy.
Author: Reese Kimmi