Steve Cortes, president of the League of American Workers, said that Catholic voters in Pennsylvania are increasingly shifting to the political right. He argued that concerns over affordability and immigration enforcement are influencing their impact on national elections.
“Catholic voters in America increasingly move to the political right to the America First movement,” said Cortes. “In 2016, Trump triumphs over Hillary largely because of Catholics, plus 8% 2024, last November, he earns a plus 12% margin among Catholics, which powered his national popular vote win. Right now, 55% of Catholics give Trump a D or an F letter grade on inflation.”
Cortes delivered a video on X discussing polling trends among Catholic voters. He cited their growing alignment with the America First movement and their decisive role in recent presidential elections. Cortes described Catholics as a swing constituency whose support helped drive Donald Trump’s popular vote performance, while also noting that inflation remains a vulnerability. He presented this analysis as both a strategic assessment and a call to reinforce policy priorities resonating with faith-driven, working-class voters concerned about economic stability and national sovereignty.
According to Pew Research, exit polling over the last three presidential cycles shows Catholics consistently representing roughly one-fifth to one-quarter of the national electorate, making them one of the largest faith-based voting blocs in the United States. In 2016, Donald Trump narrowly won Catholic voters, a margin pivotal in key battleground states. Analysts have frequently noted that shifts of even a few percentage points among Catholics can alter national outcomes due to their geographic concentration in swing states.
Economic concerns, particularly inflation and wages, rank among the top issues for Catholic voters, mirroring broader working-class priorities. Pew Research has reported that voters who prioritize border security and immigration enforcement often associate those policies with wage growth and reduced economic pressure. This linkage has been especially salient among non-college and middle-income Catholics, who tend to respond favorably to arguments tying immigration control to labor market stability.
Cortes serves as Founder and President of the League of American Workers and is also a senior political advisor to CatholicVote. He previously held roles as a senior advisor to President Trump and JD Vance and has been a commentator for Fox News and CNN. Additionally, he regularly publishes documentaries and columns on cortesinvestigates.com.
