White evangelicals-who had leaned Democratic in the 1960s-began to vote Republican. In 2016, 76 percent of white evangelicals identified as Republican. Democratic voters, in turn, grew increasingly secular. The percentage of white Democrats who attended church regularly fell from nearly 50 percent in the 1960s to below 30 percent in the 2000s.
In the 1960s, white evangelicals were more inclined to support the Democratic Party; however, over the decades, their political alignment shifted significantly. By 2016, a substantial majority, 76 percent, identified as Republican, marking a notable transformation in their voting behavior and political priorities.
On the flip side, the Democratic Party saw a rise in secularism among its voters. The proportion of white Democrats who engaged in regular church attendance dropped from around 50 percent in the 1960s to below 30 percent by the 2000s, indicating a growing divide in beliefs and values between the two major political parties.
