US Catholic voters split evenly in 2026 midterm elections

Catholic voters in the United States were nearly evenly divided during the 2026 midterm elections, with exit polls from NBC News indicating 50 percent supported Democrats and 49 percent supported Republicans. This represents a significant shift from the 2024 presidential election, when Donald Trump secured 59 percent of the Catholic vote.

The results reflect diverse demographic trends within the religious group. Hispanic Catholics leaned heavily Democratic at 65 percent, while Black Catholics supported Democrats at 87 percent. Catholic women also favored Democrats at 54 percent. Conversely, white Catholics remained more Republican, with 56 percent voting for Republican candidates, a figure that increased to 63 percent among white Catholics without a college education.

Political data analyst Ryan Burge of Washington University in St. Louis characterized Catholics as a “soft Republican” bloc and noted that the group has become a consequential swing vote. Burge attributed the shift in voting patterns largely to economic concerns.