Pro-life advocate says Trump victory is ‘huge’ for Catholic voters: ‘Morality matters’
Catholic voters emerged as the biggest winners in the 2024 election, with President Trump securing a significant victory among this demographic, according to Shawn Carney, founder of the pro-life organization 40 Days For Life. In an interview with Fox News Digital, Carney highlighted the importance of the Catholic vote in determining the outcome of the election, noting that Trump’s success with Catholic voters was a clear indication of their support for his policies.
“The victory is huge for Catholic voters. Trump handily won the Catholic vote,” Carney stated. “We Catholics always get the impression from, frankly, the Biden-Harris administration that they hated Catholics, and they hate religion. We see what they’ve tolerated, in some cases, encouraged what’s happened to the Jews. We saw the DOJ target Catholics and target pro-lifers. And you just got that sense that they didn’t like or respect Catholics.”
Exit polling conducted by Fox News on election night revealed that Catholics nationwide swung nine percentage points in favor of Trump, with the former President winning Catholics by a margin of 10 points. This marked a significant shift from the 2020 election, where Catholics were evenly split between Trump and Biden. In critical swing states such as Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Michigan, and Wisconsin, Catholic voters favored Trump by double-digit margins, contributing to his overall success in these key battlegrounds.
Carney attributed Harris’ stance on abortion as a major factor in alienating Catholic voters, noting that her campaign’s emphasis on the issue was viewed negatively within the Catholic community. “Kamala ran on abortion, and she celebrated abortion. Her campaign was depressing at best,” he said. “Latinos are against abortion. Catholics are against abortion. And even the liberal Catholics who are going to vote Democrat who may tolerate abortion, they don’t want it shoved down their throats.”
In addition to abortion, Carney highlighted freedom of speech and religion as key issues that resonated with Catholic voters. He praised Trump for his advocacy on behalf of religious organizations like the Little Sisters of the Poor, who faced legal challenges over their refusal to provide contraception. “There definitely was that sentiment that, ‘Look, if they’re going to go after Trump, if they’re going to go after Catholics, if they’re going to go after pro-lifers, it’s only a matter of time until they find something in our life that they don’t like or disagree with, and they come after us,'” he explained.
Overall, Carney emphasized that the 2024 election was a significant victory for Catholic voters, who felt empowered by Trump’s pro-life stance and commitment to protecting freedom of speech and religion. The strong support for Trump among Catholics underscored their deep-rooted values and beliefs, which played a pivotal role in shaping the outcome of the election.
