Guest contributor Dotty Lynch gives us a first look at Harvard's Institute of Politics 2006 spring survey of college students.
Religion is important in the lives of college students, but Republicans and Democrats may never agree on the role of religion in politics today. Seven in ten college students today say religion is important or very important in their lives. Whatís more, a quarter of students (25%) say they have become more spiritual since entering college, as opposed to only seven percen(7%) who say they have become less spiritual. However, they are sharply divided along party lines as to religionís role in politics: only twenty-one percent (21%) of self-identifying Democrats say they want to hear politicians talk about religion, while more than two and a half times as many Republicans (56%) say the same. Sixty-two percent (62%) of college Republicans say that religion is losing its influence on American life and by a seven to one margin believe that is a ìbad thing.î Fifty-four percent (54%) of college Democrats say that religion is increasing its influence and by a two to one margin believe that is a ìbad thing.î
Morality is playing a strong role in studentsí political views. College students believe many issues at the forefront of political debate today are closely linked to morality. Not surprisingly, a majority of students agree somewhat or strongly that hot-button issues like abortion policy (61%), stem cell research (51%), and gay marriage (50%) are questions of morality; but a full fifty percent (50%) of college students also say the governmentís response to Hurricane Katrina was a question of morality. Roughly four in ten Democrats and Republicans agree education policy (45% D, 38% R) and Iraq War Policy (39% D, 44% R) are questions of morality. However, Democrats greatly outnumber Republicans (52% D, 35% R) in believing healthcare policy is a question of morality and twice as many Democrats as Republicans say the same about the minimum wage (34% D, 17% R).
Potential 2008 Clinton-McCain presidential matchup is a dead heat on campuses. If the 2008 presidential elections were held today and the Democratic and Republican candidates for President were U.S. Senators Hillary Clinton and John McCain, we would see a dead heat on college campuses. Students give each candidate forty percent (40%), while most national polls of the general public give Senator McCain a near ten point advantage.
-- Dotty Lynch is a fellow at Harvard's Institute of Politics and a consultant with CBS News. She also writes the Political Points column on CBS News.com.
April 11, 2006
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