Faith on the Hill
While there has been a decades-long decline in the Christian share of U.S. adults, 88% of the voting members in the new 118th Congress identify as Christian. That is only a few points lower than their share in the late 1970s.
Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
Government
All
Government
Publications
-
-
118th Congress has a record number of women
Women make up 28% of all members of the 118th Congress, a considerable increase from where things stood even a decade ago.
-
New Congress will have a few more veterans, but their share of lawmakers is still near a record low
The new House will have 80 members who’ve served in the military, or 18.4% of members. That’s up from 75, or 17.2%, in the 117th Congress.
-
Public Has Modest Expectations for Washington’s Return to Divided Government
Most U.S. adults say President Joe Biden (65%) and Republican leaders in Congress (61%) will be unsuccessful getting their agendas enacted in the next two years; only about a third say the president and GOP leaders will be successful. Republicans are less confident than Democrats in midterm vote counts – but more confident than they were after the 2020 election.
-
Growing share of Americans see the Supreme Court as ‘friendly’ toward religion
There has been a jump in the share of U.S. adults who see the Supreme Court as “friendly” toward religion.
-
In their own words: How Americans describe ‘Christian nationalism’
A new survey asked respondents who have heard at least “a little” about Christian nationalism: “In your own words, what does the phrase ‘Christian nationalism’ mean to you?” These responses capture the range of different views expressed.
-
45% of Americans Say U.S. Should Be a ‘Christian Nation’
But they hold differing opinions about what that phrase means, and two-thirds of U.S. adults say churches should keep out of politics.
-
Around one-in-five candidates for Congress or governor this year are veterans
21% of the roughly 1,000 candidates for U.S. Senate, House or state governor on the fall ballot claim some degree of military experience.
-
Lack of Preparedness Among Top Reactions Americans Have to Public Health Officials’ COVID-19 Response
Overall, 46% of Americans say the statement “public health officials were unprepared for the outbreak” describes their views extremely or very well, including similar shares of Republicans and Democrats.
-
Positive Views of Supreme Court Decline Sharply Following Abortion Ruling
Americans’ ratings of the Supreme Court are now as negative as – and more politically polarized than – at any point in more than three decades of polling. And nearly two-thirds of Democrats (64%) now say the Supreme Court has too much power, almost three times the share who said this in August 2020 (23%).
