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Faith Factor
March 29, 2016
Does a presidential candidate’s religion matter? According to recent findings from Pew Research Center, it absolutely does. 51% of Americans still say they would be less likely to vote for an atheist – and two-thirds of Republicans say that it is important that a candidate share his or her religious beliefs. In our Faith Factor series, we discuss the religious lives of 2016 presidential candidates and how their spirituality affects their campaigns. 
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Donald Trump's Faith
Donald Trump calls himself a Christian and says the Bible is his favorite book.  Yet Trump is widely considered to be an irreligious candidate.

For this segment of Faith Factor we return to a March 2016 conversation about Trump’s religion and how faith is playing into his campaign.

Sarah Posner, freelance reporter
Public Domain and Michael Vadon | Wikimedia
Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz Fight for the Evangelical Vote

Both Sens. Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz are outspoken about their Christian faith. Today we talk about their different approaches to religious belief and how they hope to stave off Donald Trump while fighting for conservative Christian votes.

Learn More: Michael Kruse on Marco Rubio's crisis of faith. Sarah Posner on Cruz the Evangelical and Cruz, Rubio,and the Religious Right.

Michael Krusesenior staff writer at Politico
Sarah Posnerfreelance journalist
Michael Vadon and Gage Skidmore | Wikimedia
Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump's Status as Outsider Candidates
Presidential candidates Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump couldn't differ more on policy. But when it comes to religion, they have something in common. Sanders, who is a Jewish Democratic Socialist, and Trump, who is a Republican Presbyterian, are viewed as the most secular candidates in the field. The Vermont senator and the boisterous businessman are the subjects of this week's "Faith Factor" series, which looks at how religion is being used-- or not-- in the race for the White House.

Learn more: Paul Heintz on Bernie Sanders at Liberty University and Sarah Posner on "Trumpvangelism."

Paul Heintzpolitical editor at Seven Days 
Sarah Posnerfreelance reporter
Barbara Kinney for Hillary for America | Flickr
Hillary Clinton's Methodist Roots and Election Wrap-Up
Did you know that Hillary Clinton's Methodist faith introduced her to Martin Luther King, Jr. and probably brought about her "conversion" from Republican to Democrat? Then, we break down the trends and statistics surrounding religion and the 2016 presidential campaign. Which religious groups are supporting which candidates? And are "values voters" on the decline?

Daniel BurkeReligion Editor at CNN
Robert P. Jones, CEO of Public Religion Research Institute 
Governor John Kasich | Wikicommons
A Fatal Car Crash Ignites John Kasich's Faith
 
On March 15th, John Kasich, the Governor of Ohio, won the Republican primary in his home state, which keeps him in the race for the Republican presidential nomination... for now. Kasich is widely considered the most moderate candidate in the Republican field; We ask how his political views dovetail with his religious beliefs.  

Chrissie Thompson, political reporter at the Cincinnati Enquirer