A majority of Americans (55%) agree that “the Supreme Court has been too willing to let President Trump expand his power,” compared with 41% of those who disagree. The Supreme Court has allowed states to verify the eligibility of voters with the Department of Homeland Security program:

Supreme Court lets Trump administration use revamped federal voter eligibility database for now

The Supreme Court is allowing states to resume using a controversial federal tool to check voter eligibility before the November elections.

apnews.com

Who is resisting Christian Nationalism? Check out this new report from @prri.org & @snfagora.bsky.social's Meanings and Democracy Lab. State legislatures & religious diversity shape CN resistance across all 50 states prri.org/research/res... @ruthbraunstein.bsky.social @robertpjones.bsky.social

Resistance to Christian Nationalism in All 50 States: A PRRI-Meanings of Democracy Lab Report

prri.org

A new op-ed by @melissadeckman.bsky.social and @ruthbraunstein.bsky.social examines conservatism in Utah, finding that the state has a slightly higher proportion of people who resist Christian nationalism (68%) than the country as a whole (64%), the only red state with that distinction. Read more:

Can a person be very conservative and also oppose Christian nationalism? Our survey says yes.

(RNS) — Latter-day Saints diverge from the white evangelicals they resemble in their political conservatism and Republican partisanship.

religionnews.com

New Analysis: Nearly two-thirds of Americans qualify as Christian nationalism Rejecters (27%) or Skeptics (37%), compared with roughly three in ten who qualify as Sympathizers (21%) or Adherents (11%). ⬇️ Keep reading for more findings from a new report by PRRI and @snfagora.bsky.social.

New from @melissadeckman.bsky.social and @ruthbraunstein.bsky.social at @newsweek.com "A potential electoral backlash to Trump’s appeals to Christian nationalism may also be spurred by the rising prominence of progressive religious voices on the campaign trail." www.newsweek.com/resistance-t...

Resistance to Christian nationalism could help decide midterms | Opinion

"Backlash to Trump’s appeals to Christian nationalism may be spurred by the rising prominence of progressive religious voices."

newsweek.com

Tomorrow at 11:00 AM ET on Substack Live, join @ruthbraunstein.bsky.social and @melissadeckman.bsky.social to discuss a new survey report examining the religious, political, and demographic makeup of Americans who resist Christian nationalist ideology. Tune in: open.substack.com/live-stream/...

“This has been very quickly transposed from an economic or political issue to a moral issue,” @robertpjones.bsky.social explains. The issue of AI has united denominations and faith traditions that often disagree in political debates. Read more:

What would Jesus do about data centers? Pastors take the debate to pulpits

Some pastors have embraced AI, but others worry that the giant data centers powering the computing boom could unleash harm on the environment and their communities.

nbcnews.com

Most Americans (73%) agree that mandatory vaccines for children should be legal in all or most cases; only one in four disagree (24%). HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. gave the keynote address at an anti-vaccine conference, telling attendees that they had a friend in Trump’s White House.

"Hispanic Americans – Republican, Democrat, and independent – are experiencing a growing sense of isolation, feeling less safe, less welcome, and more like strangers in their own country," explains PRRI Director of Research Diana Orcès. Read Orcès' full comments in @theconversation.com:

Why Hispanic Americans are losing faith in the American Dream

A public opinion researcher explains why this group’s declining faith goes beyond partisanship and reflects a fundamental question about its sense of belonging.

theconversation.com

@prri.org 's Diana Orcés examines why Hispanic Americans of all parties are losing faith in the American Dream in this must-read op-ed:"Declining faith goes beyond partisanship and reflects a more fundamental question about this group’s sense of belonging." theconversation.com/why-hispanic...

Why Hispanic Americans are losing faith in the American Dream

A public opinion researcher explains why this group’s declining faith goes beyond partisanship and reflects a fundamental question about its sense of belonging.

theconversation.com

According to the PRRI Census of American Religion, young women (18-29) have shed religious labels steadily since 2013, when 29% identified as religiously unaffiliated. By 2024, that figure grew to 40%, and in 2025, it increased to 43%. www.nytimes.com/2026/09/16/o...

Opinion | What a Popular Netflix Show Tells Us About Women and Faith (Gift Article)

When faith is used to control and subordinate women, they leave the church.

nytimes.com

@robertpjones.bsky.social explains that as VP JD Vance begins positioning himself for a potential 2028 presidential run, his appeal to Christian values is underpinned by demographic factors that show self-identified Republicans to be “more than two-thirds white and Christian.” Read more:

JD Vance’s Catholicism could be at odds with Maga evangelicals in 2028

Vice-president wears religion on his sleeve but winding spiritual path could alienate evangelicals and conservative Catholics

theguardian.com

Among Trump voters, nearly two in ten (19%) now hold unfavorable views of him, compared to just 10% at the beginning of his second term in 2025. Learn more in a new analysis:

How Dissatisfied Trump Voters View the State of the Country

As of May 2026, nearly two in ten Americans (19%) who reported voting for President Donald Trump in 2024 now hold unfavorable views of him. This is a significant increase from 10% in February 2025…

prri.org

@melissadeckman.bsky.social explains that these Gen Z women came to political consciousness when a man who boasted about sexual assault defeated a woman to win the presidency. “I think that, combined with the policies, really turned off a generation of young women” from conservative politics.

85% of white evangelical Protestants reported that they voted for the President-elect. Although President Trump and the MAGA movement seem ambivalent about many policies championed by George W. Bush, one legacy Trump does benefit from is ongoing support from Christian evangelicals. Listen now:

The Republican midterm convention is taking place in the heart of Bush country

The Republican midterm convention in Dallas takes place in the same city that helped give rise to the Bush political dynasty. Still, many policies championed by the conservative presidents are noticea...

npr.org

@robertpjones.bsky.social told @christianpaz.bsky.social at @vox.com, "If you take everyone who supports a Christian nationalist worldview, it’s only about 3 in 10 Americans. Now that’s a lot... But it does mean that the country as a whole rejects that worldview by a margin of 2-to-1."

Vox@vox.com · 3w ago

A religion scholar is getting increasingly worried about the odds of a white Christian nationalist takeover in the US. While panicked allusions to Nazi Germany have been a common occurrence in the Trump years, Robert P. Jones believes those references are warranted now.

Out Today! Backslide: Reclaiming a Faith and a Nation After the Christian Turn Against Democracy by @robertpjones.bsky.social Publishers Weekly called Backslide “bracing” and “a potent reckoning” and has named it one of the top 10 most anticipated fall religion books. bookshop.org/a/116849/978...

Backslide: Reclaiming a Faith and a Nation After the Christian Turn Against Democracy

“Bracing—Jones presents a vision of America as “fallen into... apostasy.” But he remains hopeful, noting that “backsliding is not irreversible,” as “repentance is possible... with confession” and the ...

bookshop.org

The 2025 PRRI American Values Survey finds that most Americans (69%) disagree with the statement “If states cannot get voter fraud under control, President Trump should postpone the 2026 midterm elections for Congress,” compared with 26% who agree.

Trump administration asks Supreme Court to allow Postal Service rules on mail ballots

The Justice Department asked the Supreme Court to intervene in an ongoing legal battle over U.S. Postal Service rules for mail ballots just weeks before the November midterm elections.

cbsnews.com

What is the role of white Christian voters in the 2026 Midterms? A new Substack piece from PRRI CEO @melissadeckman.bsky.social explores the intersection of gender and religion in Americans' voting choices. Read more:

The Role of White Christian Voters in the 2026 Midterms

Will Democrats have any luck peeling off white Christian women this midterm?

prri.substack.com

New @nytimes.com op-ed from PRRI Senior Democracy Fellow @kkdumez.bsky.social uses PRRI data to explore the intersection between white Christian women’s cultural preferences and political actions. Read more:

Opinion | The Political Power of Christian Kitsch (Gift Article)

Precious Moments figurines and Christian romance novels aren’t overtly political, but they shape how Christian women see themselves and the world.

nytimes.com

Overnight, the U.S. and Iran exchanged attacks for the first time in a month. Two-thirds of Americans hold unfavorable views of Trump’s handling of the War in Iran (66%), compared with 29% of Americans who hold favorable views.

U.S. and Iran Exchange Strikes Overnight After Monthlong Calm (Gift Article)

The renewed attacks were the latest sign that the war that began six months ago appears far from over.

nytimes.com

We've been busy here at @prri.org! We just dropped another analysis of white Christian voters--this time examining whether a gender gap exists White Christian women and men. Short answer -- it depends. prri.org/spotlight/ge...

Does the Gender Gap Extend to White Christian Voters?

As we head into the 2026 midterms, many experts predict that Democrats will retake the House in November, and that the Senate is now competitive as well. Part of Democrats’ success will hinge on their...

prri.org

New Research Alert! @robertpjones.bsky.social and I write about new data assembled by @prri.org about the voting patterns of White Christian's since 1960 in presidential and congressional races --an important resource to consider as we head into the midterms. prri.org/spotlight/un...

Unpacking the White Christian Vote: Trends in Presidential and Congressional Voting Since 1960

Over the past six decades, following the passage of the 1965 Civil Rights Act, white Christian voting patterns have undergone a sea change, with white Christians moving consistently away from the…

prri.org

Grateful for the opportunity to be a part of this cohort!

PRRI@prri.org · last mo.

In the year ahead, we’ll be sharing the work of these Fellows with our PRRI community. Stay up to date: @drbethany.bsky.social @brooklynwalker.bsky.social @jameshhilljr.bsky.social @maxperrymueller.bsky.social @joshctom.bsky.social @yocalviyo.bsky.social @mjelmore.bsky.social @rcromer.bsky.social

I'm thrilled to announce that I've joined #PRRI Public Fellows for 2026-2027! Truly an honor and one of the most interesting professional opportunities I've ever had.

PRRI@prri.org · last mo.

We're excited to introduce the 2026-2027 PRRI Public Fellows cohort! 🎉 Meet 9 scholars conducting innovative research that explores religion's intersection with pluralism and democracy, immigration and American society, and LGBTQ rights and gender politics.

We're excited to introduce the 2026-2027 PRRI Public Fellows cohort! 🎉 Meet 9 scholars conducting innovative research that explores religion's intersection with pluralism and democracy, immigration and American society, and LGBTQ rights and gender politics.

PRRI Senior Democracy Fellow @kkdumez.bsky.social discusses Pete Hegseth and his pastor, Doug Wilson, explaining how Hegseth has aligned himself with white evangelicals who make up many GOP voters. PRRI finds that nearly 70% of white evangelicals have come to embrace Christian nationalism.

Pete Hegseth's path to the 2028 GOP nomination isn't a joke

The defense secretary's tough-guy persona may be exactly what wins over white evangelical voters

salon.com

PRRI CEO @melissadeckman.bsky.social explains that young women are the most progressive age group and lean left compared to their male counterparts, adding that "Gen Z has grown up in a fragmented media culture, and algorithms send young women and young men to different sites.” Read more:

Gen Z turns against capitalism as DSA takes off

Only 9 percent of Americans younger than 30 have a “very positive” view of capitalism, according to a new CBS/YouGov poll.  That shows a stark generation between Generation Z and older generations.…

thehill.com

Most Americans (81%) oppose “allowing the U.S. government to collect personal data and build a database of Americans who protest government actions,” with most Democrats (93%), independents (86%), and Republicans (65%) opposing government surveillance.

Religious groups ask judge to consider contempt over undercover ICE operation

politico.com

In today's Morning Buzz newsletter: Gen Z's growing political gender gap, a church surveillance case tests ICE's limits, alarm over Trump touting an unusual noncitizen voting report, and a Freethought Caucus founder on the danger of Christian nationalism 🧵 prri.substack.com/p/split-up-g...

Split Up: Gen Z Is the Generation Most Divided by Gender

The Morning Buzz: August 21, 2026

prri.substack.com