On Nov. 4, will white Americans vote for a non-white presidential candidate? Findings from the latest Baylor Religion Survey reveal that while 84 percent of white Americans said they would vote for a member of a racial minority for President, the voting decision was influenced by several factors, including most interestingly religious affiliation, view of the Bible and racial composition of congregations. On Nov. 4, American voters will cast their ballot in a presidential race that includes an African-American nominee for the first time. Undoubtedly, it is a watershed moment for racial and ethnic minority groups in the United States. But will whites support a non-white presidential candidate? Findings from 1,325 non-Hispanic whites sampled as a part of the 2008 Baylor Religion Survey – designed by Baylor’s Institute for Studies of Religion and conducted the Gallup Organization – reveal interesting patterns relevant to the historic presidential election. One of the questions on the 2007 survey asked: ‘If your party nominated a member of a racial minority for President, would you vote for him or her?’ Eighty-four percent of white Americans said they would, according to the survey. But this voting decision was influenced by religion, age, education, […]