White evangelical approval of Trump slips, but eight-in-ten say they would vote for him
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Among rising coronavirus cases and widespread protests over racial injustice, President Donald Trump's approving rating has dropped among a wide range of religious groups, including white evangelical Protestants – though they remain strongly supportive.

Roughly 7-in-ten white evangelical Protestants (72%) say they approve of the mode Trump is handling his job, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted June 16 to 22. That is a half dozen percentage point drop from 78% recorded in April, in line with the 5-betoken drib during that period amongst U.South. adults overall. The share of white evangelicals who say they "very strongly" approve of Trump'southward performance is now at 59%, down 8 points from 67% in April. (Pew Research Centre also asked the presidential approval question in March of this twelvemonth, at which time Trump'due south rating was similar to results obtained in Apr.)

This analysis explores U.S. religious groups' assessments of President Trump's performance in office and how adherents from each group view a potential Biden presidency. We surveyed iv,708 U.Due south. adults from June xvi to 22, 2020. Everyone who took part is a member of Pew Research Center's American Trends Console (ATP), an online survey panel that is recruited through national, random sampling of residential addresses. This way near all U.S. adults have a chance of selection. The survey is weighted to exist representative of the U.S. adult population past gender, race, ethnicity, partisan affiliation, education and other categories. Read more than about the ATP'due south methodology.

Hither are the questions used for this written report, along with responses, and its methodology.

The same survey finds that if the 2020 presidential ballot were held today, 82% of white evangelical Protestant registered voters would vote for Trump or lean toward voting for him, while 17% say they would back the Democratic Party's presumptive nominee, Joe Biden. By comparison, a Pew Inquiry Center survey that was conducted just after the 2016 presidential ballot among those who were identified equally having voted establish that 77% of white evangelical Protestant voters backed Trump, while 16% voted for Hillary Clinton.

The June survey was conducted later Trump'due south controversial visit to St. John's Episcopal Church on June 1, and in the immediate wake of the Supreme Courtroom's landmark LGBTQ ruling on June 15. A Trump appointee, Neil Gorsuch, wrote the bulk stance that gay, lesbian and transgender employees are protected under existing nondiscrimination laws.

Trump's continued support amongst white evangelical Protestants – a group that is highly religious and overwhelmingly Republican – is matched by their dislike of Biden. A big bulk of white evangelical Protestants say Biden would make a "poor" (26%) or even "terrible" (49%) president, while sixteen% say he would make an "boilerplate" president. Only 9% of white evangelicals say Biden would be "nifty" (2%) or "good" (7%) in the Oval Office, compared with seven-in-ten who say Trump has been good (34%) or corking (35%) in that role.

While no other religious grouping is as supportive of Trump as white evangelical Protestants – and his rating has slipped among virtually Christian groups in this analysis in contempo months – the president continues to garner support from half or more than of other white Christians. More than one-half of white Protestants who do non identify equally evangelical (56%) say they approve of the chore Trump is doing, as do 54% of white Catholics – and roughly vi-in-x voters in these groups say they would vote for him if the election were held today. Once again, Biden does not instill confidence in many of these white Christians; just one-in-5 white Protestants who are non evangelical (nineteen%) and white Catholics (21%) say that Biden would make a good or bully president.

On the other hand, large majorities of Black Protestants (83%), Hispanic Catholics (74%) and religiously unaffiliated Americans (74%) say they discorroborate of Trump. Among Black Protestants, levels of disapproval have increased to 83% from 74% in April, only are roughly like to where they stood in January, when 10% approved of Trump and 87% disapproved. And among Blackness Protestant voters, merely 8% say they would vote for Trump if the election were held today, while 88% would vote for Biden.

Blackness Protestants, who overwhelmingly identify as Democrats or as Democratic-leaning independents, are the religious group with by far the most positive views toward Biden. Roughly one-half (54%) say he would brand a proficient (34%) or cracking (twenty%) president, while 36% say he would exist an average president and but 8% say he would exist poor or terrible. Meanwhile, eight-in-10 Black Protestants say Trump has been a poor (sixteen%) or terrible (63%) president.

Among religiously unaffiliated Americans, another strongly Democratic constituency, opinions on a possible Biden presidency are more than tepid. (The religiously unaffiliated, as well known equally "nones," are those who describe their religion as atheist, agnostic or "zilch in particular.") Fewer than a third of "nones" (27%) say Biden would be a adept or bang-up president, while 39% say he would be average and 33% say he would practice a poor or terrible job. Nevertheless, this group'southward views toward Biden are much more positive than toward Trump: Seven-in-ten "nones" say Trump has been a poor (13%) or terrible (56%) president, and a like share of unaffiliated voters (72%) say they would vote for Biden if the election was today.

Michael Lipka is an editorial managing director of religion enquiry at Pew Research Middle.