Ray Suarez on Religion and the American Vote
Religion, and religious voters, have an increased influence in the electoral process in the US, says Ray Suarez, senior correspondent for the Jim Lehrer NewsHour. The author of The Holy Vote, was hosted by the German Marshall Fund of the US to tour Europe and talk about religion and politics. The recent shift towards a more open discussion about religion has led Democratic candidates to demonstrate their beliefs more strongly, says Suarez. Republican candidates, however, do not necessarily live up to conservative ideals. Europe, in contrast, has no common sentiment when it comes to religion and politics, something Suarez notes that he learned during the tour.
