Why do Republicans win elections?

[Mariana]

In particular, why do certain religious Republicans, those who wish to use the power of the government to oppress women, LGBT people, non-Christians, immigrants, the poor, etc. etc. etc. win elections?

Recently, some posters in the Religion Group have tried to blame outspoken atheists for these election results. There seem to be a couple of different reasons given for this idea. One is that the existence of outspoken atheists causes religious voters to fear that their First Amendment rights will be taken from them, and their religion made illegal. so they vote for religious Republican candidates in self-defense. The other is that a large percentage of religious voters are so stupid, hateful, petty, and vindictive that they'll vote against good Democratic candidates because their little fee-fees got hurt by some atheist Democrat on an internet message board who made fun of their beliefs.

I think religious voters who vote for candidates like Trump do so because they expect those candidates to promote their particular religious ideas, and to make them into law. it is neither fear of atheists, nor revenge against them, but simply the desire for worldly power that motivates them.

[democratisphere]

1. Their redumbliCON zombies report to the polling places, as ordered,

and vote.

[onecaliberal]

2. They cheat.

[Mariana]

10. Most of them dont have to cheat.

Some win due to gerrymandering and voter suppression and so on, sure. That doesn’t account for all of it. Most of them win because they represent the views of the majority of the voters in their wards, cities, districts, or states. When it comes to candidates who promise to use the power of their offices to promote particular religious views, that is often exactly what their constituents want them to do.

[onecaliberal]

11. Gerrymandering and suppression IS cheating. Anything that puts your thumb on the scale is cheating

[Mariana]

12. Yes.

Most of them don’t have to do those things to win.

[onecaliberal]

13. Actually they DO have to do those things.

It’s why Democrats consistently win more than twice the vote but it fails to flip seats. Brad blog and a few others do a good job of explaining this. Also the state of California has almost no representation as we are the most populist state in the nation with less than half the reps in other states.

[trotsky]

3. The non-religious in this country are now its largest voting bloc in that category.

I think it's the religious who need to start worrying about losing elections because they might alienate US.

[ollie10]

4. Public Sees Religions Influence Waning

Growing Appetite for Religion in Politics

Pew Poll

It is from 2014, but interesting polling.

http://www.pewforum.org/2014/09/22/public-sees-religions-influence-waning-2/

[Cartoonist]

5. Single issue voters

Anti abortion
Guns
Race

One group is not enough, but all three make up a huge voting block

[guillaumeb]

6. An interesting claim to make.

About these "some posters" and their assigning blame.

[trotsky]

7. Well since "some posters" have now been re-banned from DU...

perhaps there IS some blame to be assigned.

P.S. Sorry about your good friend.

[AtheistCrusader]

9. Sorry about your friend.

[AtheistCrusader]

8. Gerrymandering and religious electioneering mostly.