Exit polling shows Catholics almost evenly split between Democrats, Republicans in 2026 midterms

Catholics voted about equally for Democrats and Republicans in the 2026 midterms, exit polls show, with Catholic voters shifting their alignment from 2024 to help propel Democratic politicians to their historic victories on Nov. 3.

Exit polling data released by NBC News shows the Catholic vote almost equally split between Democratic and Republican politicians this year, with the network reporting 50% of Catholic voters choosing Democrats and 49% choosing Republicans.

The even split marks a notable departure from the 2024 presidential election, which saw just 39% of Catholic voters casting ballots for Democrat Kamala Harris and 59% of them voting for Republican Donald Trump, according to NBC data from that year.

Andrew Chestnut, the Bishop Walter F. Sullivan chair in Catholic studies at Virginia Commonwealth University, told EWTN News that the results represent a “notable shift” from 2024, though “it remains to be seen whether this represents a lasting political realignment.”

He noted that a closer read of polling data reveals a more nuanced view of the Catholic voting bloc.

“The preliminary exit polls underscore the considerable diversity of American Catholicism,…