A new survey from the Pew Research Center found that only 18 percent of Americans believe it’s important that political candidates they support share their religious values. 
For most Americans, the single most important characteristic when picking politicians comes down to their actual stance on political issues. Overwhelmingly, 66 percent of respondents said that they look for political candidates who share their view on politics over religious affiliation or shared background.
However, when broken down by religious affiliation, the numbers are drastically different. White Christians stand out as the group most invested in their candidates sharing religious values, with 74 percent agreeing it is important, including 40 percent who say it is “extremely” or “very” important. This group’s devotion to candidates sharing their faith values surpasses all other demographics.
For Black Christians, sharing religious values is a consideration for 26 percent, with 30 percent considering it “somewhat” important. Meanwhile, only about 43 percent of Catholics consider religious affiliation somewhat important.
The survey also found that less than a quarter of Americans consider other characteristics as important as political stances. From have a similar socioeconomic background to gender, Americans are seemingly less interested in a politician who is exactly like them.
