Tuesday night marked an interesting election cycle, even for an off-year election. Three major races dominated the conversation: The New York City mayoral race, the New Jersey gubernatorial race, and the Virginia gubernatorial race. What made these races interesting is the role religion played in them.
While Donald Trump took the overwhelming majority of the Christian vote a year ago, it’s clear Tuesday was a night for the “nones.” That’s the 34% of Americans who claim no religious affiliation — a group that has been on the rise.
Wesley King
According to 2024 presidential election exit polls, 81% of white evangelicals voted for Trump in the presidential race, followed by 63% of Hispanic Protestants, 60% of white Catholics and 57% of white Protestants. The only Christian demographic Trump didn’t win was Hispanic Catholics, which Harris took by 12%.
Where Harris exceeded Trump was with 86% of Black Protestants, 79% of Jewish folks, 72% of the religiously unaffiliated, 60% of other world religions and 55% of Hispanic Catholics. To be fair, the race for president is vastly different from all three of the races decided this week. Still, it is interesting that religion seemed to be a significant factor for some but inconsequential for most.
In New York City, Zohran Kwame Mamdani became the city’s first Muslim mayor. His faith, though, has been the topic of many of his opponents as of late. A little over a week ago, Mamdani stood on the steps of a Bronx mosque to publicly denounce the Islamophobic remarks recently made by former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and incumbent mayor Eric Adams. These are only the latest of many problematic comments lodged at Mamdani, who has been vocal about his Muslim faith.
His supporters, though, couldn’t seem to care less about his religion or religion in general.
According to NBC News exit polls, New York City is relatively evenly represented across religious groups. Starting from largest to smallest, the city is made up of 27% Catholics, 24% “nones,” 21% Protestant Christians, 15% Jews and 14% other religions. Mamdani drew the vote of 75% of the “nones” and 70% of those from “other religions.” The Right would say this is just the “godlessness” of the Democratic Party, but the “nones” are growing on both sides, albeit more on the Left.
“The Right would say this is just the ‘godlessness’ of the Democratic Party, but the ‘nones’ are growing on both sides, albeit more on the Left.”
Public Religion Research Institute reported that from 2013 to 2023, the number of “nones” rose in the Democratic Party from 22% to 33%, whereas the “nones” in the Republican Party rose from 10% to 12%. Obviously, that is a more drastic change for the Democrats, but that 12% of Republicans isn’t nothing. That means 9.2 million people who voted for Donald Trump consider themselves “nones.” Even in a party that is far less religiously diverse.
In Virginia, the NBC exit polls regarding religion were a little more specific. They asked if voters were white evangelical or “born-again” Christians, and that’s it. Of those who voted for Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger, 21% said they are white evangelicals or “born-again” Christians, and 71% said they are not. This is tricky, as that 71% could include nonwhite evangelicals, Protestants or Catholics of any race, other religions or our unaffiliated “nones.”
Still, the overwhelming majority of people voting for Spanberger is vastly different than the demographic who chose our current president. Interestingly, NBC News didn’t ask any exit poll questions about religion in the New Jersey gubernatorial race. Governors-elect Spanberger (Va.) and Sherrill (N.J.) have seemingly been less vocal than Mamdani about their religious beliefs, but we know Spanberger has described herself as a Protestant and Sherrill as a devout Catholic.
As a Christian minister, one might assume I am fearful the Christian voice is no longer the loudest. However, that loud Christian voice hasn’t represented me for quite some time. It often feels more focused on coercion than Christ.
Instead, I see races like Mamdani’s as a blueprint for interfaith coalition work and true religious liberty. Even among the “nones,” I know we must share values and my call to “do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with God” wasn’t just an internal task among those seeking the will of God. It was an external task, meant to be completed alongside my neighbors, no matter where they are from, the color of their skin or what god they pray to.
In the words of New York City’s first Muslim mayor, “This campaign is for every person who believes in the dignity of their neighbors and that the government’s job is to actually make our lives better.”
Wesley King is a 2024 BJC Fellow, an ordained minister in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), and a Ph.D. Student in Public Administration and Policy.
BJC Fellows come from diverse educational, professional and religious backgrounds to learn in an intensive education program that equips them for advocacy to protect religious liberty. Learn more about the program here.
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