REFLECTION: Lessons and depression from the primary elections

by Thomas Reese, S.J., NCR

I have not written anything about the primary elections this year, partly because everyone has been commenting on them, and partly because I found them so depressing.

I also held off from writing because the exit polls rarely provided data about Catholic voters. Catholic Republicans in the 2012 primaries were essential to the nomination of Mitt Romney. In 2008, they also helped nominate John McCain. Catholic Democrats in 2008 began by supporting Hillary Clinton, but gradually warmed up to Barack Obama.

But this year, because of the lack of data, it is all guess work. When it comes to religion, the only religious people pollsters and secular pundits care about are the evangelicals.

But it has been quite a ride. Here are four lessons we have learned from this election season.

First, religious leaders who play politics are generals without armies.…

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