Kamala Harris Faces Backlash from Catholic Voters: A Sign of Democratic Disconnect

Vice President Kamala Harris is facing mounting criticism from Catholic voters, a key demographic in the United States, after years of perceived hostility towards their beliefs and traditions. For Republicans and conservatives, this disconnect comes as no surprise. Harris has consistently demonstrated a lack of respect for religious values that are central to the Catholic community, and now, as she eyes the 2024 election, it’s clear that her stance is costing her vital support.

GOP strategist Ryan Girdusky, himself a Catholic, recently pointed out Harris’s growing unpopularity among Catholic voters. “Kamala’s definitely been impacted negatively by a lack of support from Catholic voters,” he said. “She’s polling worse than Joe Biden among a very important demographic. They are the largest single church in America; the Catholic vote will help decide the presidency.” And he’s right. Catholics make up a massive voting bloc, and their influence is undeniable in key battleground states like Pennsylvania, Nevada, and Michigan.

A survey from the Pew Research Center showed just how bad things are for Harris: she’s polling at only 47% with Catholic voters, compared to Donald Trump’s 52%. That’s a dramatic shift from 2020, when Joe Biden, himself a Catholic, won over Catholic voters with 52% support to Trump’s 47%. Harris’s decline with this critical demographic underscores a much larger issue—the Democratic Party’s increasing alienation from religious communities, particularly those who hold traditional values.

One of the most glaring recent examples of Harris’s tone-deaf approach to Catholics came when she opted to skip the Archdiocese of New York’s annual Al Smith Dinner, a longstanding event attended by presidential candidates of both parties. Even candidates who aren’t Catholic make it a point to show respect by attending, but not Harris. Her absence was noted by many, including Timothy Cardinal Dolan, who expressed disappointment in her decision. The last major candidate to skip the event was Democrat Walter Mondale in 1984, and we all know how that ended—with a landslide loss to Ronald Reagan. Harris seems to be following in Mondale’s footsteps, but the consequences may be even more significant in an era where every single vote counts.

Harris’s fraught relationship with the Catholic community goes back further than just her vice presidency. As a senator on the Judiciary Committee in 2018, Harris targeted Brian Buescher, a judicial nominee, for his membership in the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic fraternal organization. She aggressively questioned him about the group’s stance on issues like abortion and same-sex marriage. “Were you aware that the Knights of Columbus opposed a woman’s right to choose when you joined the organization?” she demanded, showing little understanding—or care—for the deeply held religious convictions of millions of Catholics.

This isn’t an isolated incident. During the confirmation of Justice Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court in 2020, Barrett’s Catholic faith again came under fire from Democratic senators. It was a disgraceful display, one that Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) rightfully condemned. He specifically called out Harris for repeatedly questioning judicial nominees based on their affiliation with the Knights of Columbus. In the eyes of many Catholics, this isn’t just a matter of politics—it’s a blatant attack on their religious identity.

What’s more concerning is the broader trend of the Biden-Harris administration targeting traditional Catholic values. According to a report from the House Judiciary Committee, the FBI has gone so far as to single out pro-life, pro-family Catholics as potential domestic terrorists. This is the very same federal law enforcement that the Biden administration has weaponized to suppress those who stand for the biological basis of sex and gender. In an especially egregious move, the FBI even attempted to use Catholic clergy and church leadership as informants. It’s shocking, and frankly terrifying, that this kind of persecution is happening in America.

The Biden-Harris administration’s approach to Catholics is clear: they want to support Catholics who follow the teachings of the Democratic Party, while suppressing those who follow the teachings of the Catholic Church. As Chad C. Pecknold, a professor at The Catholic University of America, put it, “When a political party becomes itself a pseudo-religion, we shouldn’t be surprised in how it governs.”

This pseudo-religion of the Democratic Party, where woke ideologies take precedence over everything else, is alienating Catholics across the country. The Democratic obsession with promoting abortion, gender ideology, and open borders is in direct conflict with the values that so many Catholics hold dear. And it’s not just Catholics. Evangelicals, Orthodox Christians, and other religious communities are waking up to the fact that the Democratic Party no longer respects their beliefs.

Kamala Harris’s track record with Catholics is one of hostility and disregard. From her time in the Senate to her current role as vice president, she has shown a consistent pattern of undermining religious freedom and targeting those who hold traditional beliefs. And now, with the 2024 election on the horizon, she is reaping what she has sown. Catholic voters, a critical demographic in battleground states like Pennsylvania, Arizona, Nevada, and Michigan, are turning away from her in droves. These are the very voters who will decide the next president, and their rejection of Harris is a significant boon for Donald Trump and the Republican Party.

In conclusion, Kamala Harris’s anti-Catholic record is catching up with her. As more and more Catholics realize that the Democratic Party no longer represents their values, they are turning toward candidates who do. For conservatives and Republicans, this shift is a hopeful sign that religious freedom and traditional values still matter to a significant portion of the American electorate. If the Democrats continue on their current path, they will only further alienate Catholics and other religious voters—ensuring their defeat in 2024.