"Moral values" dominated the postelection headlines in 2004. Analysts pointed to exit polls, strong turnout among evangelicals, and controversy over gay marriage as evidence that the election had been decided along religious lines. But other experts were quick to dispute this claim, arguing that views on more traditional issues such as the economy and the war in Iraq had carried the day.
A Matter of Faith goes beyond the headlines to assess the role religion played in the 2004 election and explore its significance for future contests. The contributors evaluate the claim that moral values were decisive by examining the religious affiliations of ordinary voters and party elites. They also analyze the strategies used to mobilize religious conservatives, such as micro-targeting, and they examine the voting behavior of a broad range of groups, including evangelicals, African Americans, and the understudied religious left. This rich perspective on faith and politics is essential reading on a critical aspect of American politics.
Contributors: John C. Green (University of Akron and Pew Forum on Religion in Public Life), James L. Guth (Furman University), D. Sunshine Hillygus (Harvard University), Laura S. Hussey (University of Baltimore), John S. Jackson (Southern Illinois University, emeritus), Scot Keeter (Pew Research Center for the People and the Press), Lyman A. Kellstedt (Wheaton College, emeritus), Geoffrey C. Layman (University of Maryland - College Park), David L. Leal (University of Texas - Austin), David C. Leege (Notre Dame, emeritus), Eric L. McDaniel (University of Texas - Austin), J. Quin Monson (Brigham Young University), Barbara Norrander (University of Arizona), Jan Norrander (University of Minnesota), J. Baxter Oliphant (Brigham Young University), Corwin E. Smidt (Calvin College), and J. Matthew Wilson (Southern Methodist University).