Catholic Presidential Candidates Abound, But Faith's Effects Unclear

(Hat tip: David Hartline)

From Catholic News Service:

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- On any given day this January, a full 21 months before the 2008 election, it seemed that someone was announcing a presidential exploratory committee or launching his or her campaign for president.

And there was a good chance that the candidate was a Catholic.

When Sen. John F. Kerry of Massachusetts bowed out of the race for the Democratic nomination Jan. 24, he left nearly a dozen other Catholics -- Republicans and Democrats -- vying for their party's nomination, either officially or unofficially.

On the Republican side, there are Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas; former New York Gov. George Pataki; long-shot candidate John Cox of Illinois; former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson; and former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, considered the GOP front-runner ...

Catholics vying for the Democratic nomination for president include Sen. Joseph Biden of Delaware; retired Gen. Wesley Clark; Sen. Christopher Dodd of Connecticut; Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio; Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico; and Gov. Tom Vilsack of Iowa.

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Anthony LoPresti, a professor of religious studies at Salve Regina University in Newport, R.I., thinks the 2008 race will see a continued emphasis by the U.S. Catholic bishops on "their opposition to abortion, (embryonic) stem-cell research and same-sex marriage, with perhaps increasing emphasis on passing comprehensive immigration reform."

"How to proceed in Iraq is more a matter of prudence than doctrine, so candidates will not feel as much pressure in that area," he said.

But LoPresti believes that "Catholic politicians who hold positions contrary to the bishops, particularly with regard to abortion and same-sex marriage, will come under increasing pressure," and the 2004 debate over their reception of Communion might be revived in some dioceses.

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