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Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life

November 17, 2022

Faith and the Faithful in the 2022 Midterm Elections

An Election Roundtable on What Happened, Why, and What Does It Mean for 2024?

The November 8 election determined the make-up and control of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, shaping policy and politics for the next two years and beyond. This election roundtable continued the Initiative’s ongoing series of Faith and the Faithful dialogues, which examine the roles and impacts of religious values and voters in U.S. politics. This election focused on issues of human life and dignity, the economy and democracy, immigration and public safety, candidate character, and political power, with their enormous human, moral, and religious implications.

This roundtable focused specifically on the religious elements and influences in the 2022 midterm elections, including questions along these lines: 

  • What happened in the 2022 midterms and why?

  • What role did religious voters and values play in this election? On what issues? What was different from previous elections, and what was the same?

  • What roles did Catholic, evangelical, and Latino voters, as well as those among the religious “nones,” play in this election?

  • How do faith and politics play out in diverse Latino communities? How do religion, nationality, economics, geography, and ideology shape Latino voters and votes?

  • How did intense debate on abortion after the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization decision shape the choices of voters generally, and religious voters specifically? What about the economy, immigration, crime, and other key issues?

  • How do issues of candidate character and integrity influence religious and other voters?

  • What does this mean for the future: politics and policy choices over the next two years, and for the 2024 election?

John Carr, co-director of the Initiative and former director of justice and peace efforts of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, moderated the dialogue.

Those attending the election roundtable in person were invited to a reception immediately following the dialogue.

Resources

View a list of articles and other resources for this dialogue.

This Public Dialogue was part of the Initiative’s Faith and the Faithful in U.S. Politics series, was co-sponsored by the Institute of Politics and Public Service, and was supported by Democracy Fund.

Participants

Susan Crabtree

Susan Crabtree

Susan Crabtree is a White House and national political correspondent for RealClearPolitics. She has previously worked at The Hill, Roll Call, and the Washington Examiner.

William Galston

William Galston

William Galston is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, the author of nine books, and a weekly columnist for the Wall Street Journal.

Jack Jenkins

Jack Jenkins

Jack Jenkins is a national reporter for Religion News Service covering religion and politics and the author of American Prophets: The Religious Roots of Progressive Politics and the Ongoing Fight for the Soul of the Country (2020).

Sabrina Rodriguez

Sabrina Rodriguez

Sabrina Rodriguez is a political reporter for the Washington Post and previously covered politics and Latino communities at Politico.

Eugene Scott

Eugene Scott

Eugene Scott is a national political reporter at the Washington Post. He previously worked at CNN and recently was a fellow at Georgetown University’s Institute of Politics and Public Service. 

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