Values voters: it’s my pocketbook at issue

Steven Waldman:

Inspired by the Twelve Tribes of Biblical Israel and based on the new National Survey of Religion and Politics conducted by the University of Akron, the Twelve Tribes looks at the unique behavior of different faith groupings such as Heartland Culture Warriors, Whitebread Protestants, Convertible Catholics and others. (Click here for the full Twelve Tribes lowdown.)

Overall, the Twelve Tribes survey showed that just 13% of voters listed moral issues as their primary concern, half the percentage as in 2004.

Among members of the Religious Right, the percentage emphasizing social issues plummeted to 37.2% from 50.7%, while the portion emphasizing the economy rose to 40% from 18%. Among the Heartland Culture Warriors – consisting of conservative Catholics, conservative mainline Protestants and Mormons — 57% now list the economy first, compared with 28% in 2004.